The Price of Life
by The Mother Rose
Summary: Hated and despised in Konoha, Naruto is told to go with Cell 7 to retrieve Sasuke. He is told to keep the cell safe as they destroy a Sannin and rescue the genius boy. But things do not go as planned. This is where my story begins. Enjoy and review please
1. Chapter 1

**Author Note: Usually, as you know if you've read any of my other works, I am pretty nice to Kakashi. Even though he likes Jiraiya's dirty books and favors Sasuke over either of his other two students that behavior is explainable to me but for this story I decided Kakashi has been a bad boy and needs to be treated to the Mother Rose form of justice. So I will not be as nice as I usually am to the slightly twisted genius. And for those of you who think Sakura is just misunderstood please go read someone else's fic. You won't care for mine. I whole heartedly believe her to be a cold conniving little freak of spoilt rotten nature that needs a good hair dresser and a better costume designer. If you're still with me at this point happy reading. And as always reviews are welcome.**

**Disclaimer: Of course I don't own Naruto.**

**The Price of Life**

Chapter One: Survival

His whole life had been nothing but one big humongous fight. One small battle after another. Always striving to prove his right to live as he barreled from one scrap straight into another. People- good people- who thought he had no right to breathe the same air they or others- bad people- who wanted to possess his power. It made no difference in the end. They all wanted his death and so he fought. He tried to find noble reasons for each battle but sometimes that was hard to do. Sometimes it was just what it seemed like it was. A fight for survival.

The early years were hard to remember but he had vague images of flying fists and feet. Big people knocking him down in the mud and grime just to make it easier to hit and kick him. He had learned to fear fist and feet. He had learned fist and feet could cause great pain. But then he got bigger. And he'd learned one of his most important lessons. He'd learned to run. Feet were his best weapon as he learned to use them to escape Through escaping from attackers he'd learned his next important lesson. Hiding. He had learned what could hide him from what couldn't. And the fights tapered off for awhile as he got very good at running and hiding.

Then he got his team. The sensei said they were supposed to become friends. He didn't know what friends were. He didn't have any friends before. Sensei said they were to be comrades but that had never been the plan. He had been naive back then. Figured if he just kept trying to prove his worth they'd come around. They'd see his value but the team wasn't about friendship or comrades. It wasn't about learning to cover each others weaknesses. It was all about the one. The spoilt little orphan prince. It had taken him too long to see it but his whole purpose on that team had been about that one person. The unofficial prince of the village needed a measuring stick to feel worthwhile and he was to be that stick. And when it didn't work and the prince left anyway, Sensei said it was his fault. They all said it. He'd been too strong. Had too much power. And flaunted it before the weak. So the prince had run away. The girl said he owed it to her to get him back. She said he cheated. Used a power he, the orphan prince, couldn't match.

And that brought on the next stage of the fights. They, his oh so loving village, wanted their orphan prince back. And it was his job to bring him home. In one piece. Alive. And preferably able to go fight right away. They told him not to come back until he rescued him.

At first he'd failed. A lot of people got hurt and it was his fault. They said he should have fought for them so they wouldn't have gotten hurt but he'd run after the prince instead, intent on proving his worth to the village by bringing back their orphan prince. He'd caught up to the orphan prince and he'd fought hard. He'd fought with everything he'd had. But he'd lost. He couldn't damage the prince. But the prince could hurt him. With a hole in his lung from the power the orphan prince used he collapsed. The prince got away, leaving him out cold on the ground. His Sensei had no mercy as he carried him back to the village. He was healed but only so that he could try again to rescue the poor orphan prince.

He was expelled from the village until he brought the orphan home. But this brought on the fights that would consume the rest of his life. Strangers who saw his power and wanted it for their own. Strangers who saw it and were afraid of him because of it. Strangers who decided he had no right to live with his power. Battle after battle he had fought. Always growing stronger but never strong enough to be valued. Never strong enough to stop fighting.

They had called him back to the village finally and he'd gone hoping he was to be recognized. But they had only wanted him to go after their poor little prince again. To be the powerhouse that would keep the others safe while they rescued the poor little prince. Once again he listened as he was told it was his fault the prince had run and his duty to bring the boy home. He listened to the threats of what would happen if he harmed a single hair on the head of thier darling prince. He listened and with a heavy heart and undying hope, he obeyed. Again.

And now he was here. Dead inside his own mind. Killed by a swipe no one had even seen. Beaten by a power he couldn't match. Left alone to struggle against a force he couldn't defeat. He did his best. But he wasn't good enough. He wasn't strong enough. His own ability was too weak. And so he called on his hidden power. But that power was his downfall. His hidden power struck him down. His demon locked him away. Sealing him. Preventing him from taking back his control. But at least he hadn't hurt the prince. His village had been obeyed to the end.

The Demon fought the battle. Destroying the deceased. Destroying those who wanted his death. Leaving all those who sought his power dead. He didn't know what had happened to his Sensei. To the girl. But it didn't matter. He was dead. Unable to rescue the orphan prince. Unable to control his power. Unable to save his team.

The battle raged and the beast killed them all. Those that were already dead died again in his mind. The boys in dresses and the sound nins who thought to stand against him, Orochimaru and his pets, his experiments. They all died but in the end no one said thanks. No one praised him. No one even noticed him. He'd waited after the battle, still in his monster form, for them to notice. For them to acknowledge him. Just once but they didn't.

The girl yelled at him. Cursing him. Denying his value. She brought the orphan prince from the rubble and the boy. His Sensei denied his worth. Sensei left him to rot among the mass of the deceased. He watched as the team gathered the injured and left him behind. Their fear too great to help him. His power too strong to be controlled. He collapsed to his knees and watched as they walked away. He wanted to beg for help but it was too late. Locked away inside his mind he couldn't call out. He couldn't beg for forgiveness.

His senses failed him as his body raced against the Demon's power. He'd lost the battle and he knew it. The war for him was over. They'd won. They might be dead but so was he. He was dead. Dead inside his own head. One by one, his senses shut down. He couldn't see. He couldn't hear.

The Demon led him away. Away from the site of the battle. He was so tired. Tired of fighting. Tired of never being good enough. Strong enough. He found a cave and wandered inside. There he stayed as the seasons turned. Never venturing far. Ignoring the world. He was waiting. For what he didn't know but he was waiting. There was supposed to be an end when you died but he guessed that was only true for them-the good people.

Winter blew snow into his cave but he didn't care. He wasn't going anywhere anyway. Spring cleared it away. The trees outside grew into beautiful canopies but he didn't notice. Summer came and brought new life to frolic and play in the mouth of his cave. He watched without concern until the fall brought down the leaves of the trees. They piled in his doorway and made a crunchy carpet in the forest but he did nothing. He just laid at the back of his cave, saying nothing, doing nothing. Year after year.

Then they'd come. People wanting his power. Some claimed to want him to come with them. He'd seen too much. Done too much to believe them. They didn't want him. They only wanted what he had. He knew they lied. They couldn't see he was already dead. And even if he had been the stupidest of the stupid he wasn't that dumb. He roared at them to leave him be. But still they kept coming.

She came. She begged and pleaded with him to come home but he knew she didn't really want him to. He was home. So she yelled at him for making them worry. She blamed him for the fight getting out of hand. For the destruction he'd left in his wake. For the injuries they'd gotten. For things he didn't understand. People who were upset by his being here. Since he couldn't move on, he didn't know what to do. What she expected him to do about it. In the end he'd said nothing and she'd gone away crying. She always cried but her tears were fake. They always were. The only ones she really cried for was the Prince and herself. The stupid power hungry orphan prince must have run out of whipping boys again for them to come after him now. But he couldn't go back. He was dead. He knew he was.

Others came. Each with a different look. A different costume. They talked to him. Left him food and clothes. He didn't understand them. He heard them but he didn't understand. Some tried to force him to go with them. But he fought back. Roaring out his pain and defiance, he denied them. As he had been denied. He had no desire to fight anymore. No will to live. All he wanted was to pass on. To leave this world behind.

He didn't know the beast had faded and all his visitors only saw the young boy he had been growing shaggy and unkempt. His tattered orange jumpsuit hung in strips off his lanky frame, barley recognizable from before his fight. He lost his sense of humanity. He lost the ability to understand the words his visitors said but it didn't matter. He understood his thoughts. He knew what he was doing. He watched the seasons turn and roared at his unwanted visitors but didn't move from his cave. He would wait here forever if need be. There had to be a reason why he hadn't moved on. A reason why his corpse was stuck here in his mind.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: No I don't own Naruto. If I did I'd not have to spend time cleaning house or cooking meals. I could spend the day typing away on my comp. Of course you probably wouldn't be reading this either if I owned Naruto. **

Chapter Two: His Return

It was his fifth year in his cave when the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen came for a visit. She'd stayed for a long time and yet it seemed she'd barely been there a moment. She'd spoken in a voice softer than a summer breeze yet louder than the ocean's roar. Her hair sparkled like moonlight on a calm river and her eyes shone with all the glory of the heaven he could never reach. He was lost in her. He didn't remember what she'd said or done but he felt her there. In his cave. His home. In her he found what he'd always wanted. What he'd tried so hard to get. She loved him. He knew she did. She valued him. For him. Not for his power but just for him. Tears fell unnoticed from eyes that had long since ceased to see anything. She comforted him. And when her visit was done he left the cave on shaky legs he'd never thought to use again. He didn't think about it. He didn't think about anything as his shuffling steps led him home. He knew he needed to go back. He wasn't done yet. There were more battles to fight. And whether he liked it or not it was why he was still here. No one else could fight those battles and win. Only he had the power. Only he could win the war.

He arrived at the gates of the village without a word. He stood there, a shaggy unkempt man in a tattered orange suit staring with empty blue eyes. The ninja on duty refused to let him in and so he'd gone to ground in the forest. And waited. She would take care of it. He knew she would. He trusted her. She'd said to go back and he had. Now he just had to wait for her to clear the way.

He slept. The season was warm and he slept the days away. People passed by and didn't see him. Animals came and dropped off food for him. Others brought him feathers, grasses and leaves. Slowly they brought enough to form a cover for his sleeping form and all that showed was his bright yellow hair. Trees, reeds and grasses sprouted from the seeds the animals brought and made an enclosure for him. A humble den of sorts. For a month he slept.

When he woke he approached the gate again and again he was denied entrance. He wandered back into the trees. He sat in his new den and waited. The sun set and rose and again he went to the gate. Again he was turned away. Day after day. He cared not. Every day he went and every day he came back here to wait for the next day.

Time passed and the air grew chilled. The wind blew through his tattered clothes that hung in strips but he didn't feel it. The fire inside blazed warm enough for him. In bare feet he walked to the gate. New guards turned him away and his feet passed over the snow without leaving a print. He watched through his stringy hair as the sun sparkle through the tree's bare, ice covered branches to dapple the snow with silvery lights. Every day he would walk in bare feet leaving no prints to the gate and every day they'd turn him away. He was getting tired of it but this was his life. She had said to go back and he was here but they wouldn't let him in. He would wait. Wait and eat the food his animal friends brought for him. She wanted him here so she would make it happen. He believed in her.

Then when the weather turned warm again, he'd come. The man with the mask. The man afraid to show his face. Afraid of being known. But he'd known him. He recognized his scent. Indeed he could never forget him. And the man knew him. As he'd turned away from the gate, the masked man had seen him and called out to him. Called him by name. He'd ignored him and kept walking. The guards had said no again. He went back to his blind. The masked man had followed. He'd known he did. The masked man found him sitting at the base of the tree eating what the animals had brought him. And he'd run away. He'd watched the man run off without interest. It didn't matter. She would take care of him.

Less than an hour later he was back with two others. A woman with a purple diamond on her head. A man with long white hair and red streaks on his cheeks. They'd talked to him for most of the day but to him it was just noise. He couldn't understand them. He didn't know what they were saying. The sun set and he laid down in his shelter to sleep. The woman and the men stayed with him. Not understanding why he didn't come with them they just watched him sleep.

Morning came and he awoke. He ignored the people in his blind. He stood and walked to the gate in his bare feet. They trailed behind him. Far enough back not to spook him but close enough to see where he went. He stood at the gate waiting. The guards again refused him entry and he turned away. The purple diamond lady stopped him. She put a hand on his arm and turned him around again. She said something in angry tones to the guards and they flinched and went pale. He tilted his head to the side but let her guide him through the gate.

Once inside he saw people-good people-freeze their activities as she propelled him where she wanted him to go. He walked docilely beside her with no real interest in where she was leading him. Until they got there. She led him to a building with a big red plus on the door. The smell of the place, as the masked man caused the doors to slide open, froze him in place. He knew this place and he didn't want to go back there anymore. The diamond woman tugged on his arm but he stood still. Rooted in place he stared with wide eyes at the area inside the doors.

He could hear them. It was like a buzzing in his ears but they made no sense to him. Just as he knew these were people he'd once known. However he couldn't think of their names. He knew they had names. But he no longer knew what they were. Finally she gave up and led him away.

She led him to another building and this time he gave no protest as she led him inside. There were more people-good people- inside here but he ignored them as he walked quietly beside the diamond woman and the men. He didn't see the looks of revulsion or pity on the faces of the people he passed. Nor did he notice the hall filling up behind them as they climbed the stairs. Finally they stopped before another door. Again the masked man opened the door and again he froze in place. The same smells came from behind that door as had come from the first place she'd taken him. He wouldn't go in there. He stood tall and firm. She tugged on one side while the man with the red face tugged on the other, both of them talking to him. He knew they were talking to him but the words were too quiet. He couldn't understand them. Just buzzing noise in his ears though he could hear the dismay in her voice. Their voices. He stood still not looking at anyone. Finally she led him to another room and let him go. He looked around and sighed.

It was the first sound they'd heard him make. Tsunade and Jiraiya both froze wondering if finally he had recognized something that didn't frighten him. Kakashi just wondered if he'd ever be normal again. Together the three watched as Naruto looked around the room. When he moved toward the window they got nervous in case he decided to jump but all he did was crouch down and sit on the floor under the window where he could look out at the sky. They watched him each lost in their own thoughts.

It was all Tsunade could do not to cry at the shell of the boy she cared for like a son. She had never given up hope of his return but she understood why he'd left. Every time she sent people out on a mission they were to look for him and try to bring him home. A few had brought back word of finding him but none had reported any luck in getting him to listen to them. Only Sakura had said he heard her. The rest weren't sure. All said he refused to answer them. He had only roared at them. Now she understood. She wondered just how much of him was still there and how she could bring him back. She had missed him so very much it never occurred to her that he wasn't somewhere inside the shaggy mess her eyes saw.

The day passed with the three of them just watching him. He didn't move all day. He just sat there under the window occasionally blinking his big blue eyes. Tsunade had other visitors to her office but Naruto ignored them all if he even noticed them. Some she sent out on missions but most she just dismissed as soon as they came in. All of them noticed him. Some recognized him but asked no questions while others wondered why there was a bum in the Hokage's office.

Sasuke came with Sakura and Sai. Seeing him, they known immediately who he was. He noticed them also. And apparently he recognized both, or at least one, of them just as quickly. They both tried to rush him. He didn't move a muscle but Tsunade saw the blue tint of chakra building up in his hand. She motioned for the others to cut them off and went to him herself. She knelt down in front of him and spoke soothingly to him. Slowly, as the two backed off, the chakra he'd been gathering faded away and he relaxed. Not that he hadn't looked relaxed before.

The masked man told the team to go find something else to do for a bit. He pushed them out the door, protesting all the way, and shut it on their heels. Sakura was still screaming about how he owed her an explanation. But Sasuke walked away with a puzzled look. He had never seen the Dobe so quiet. Something wasn't right here. Sai just smiled quietly and kept his opinion to himself as he went to find Yamato.

The sun faded from the sky and Naruto closed his eyes. He leaned his head back against the wall and dropped off into an uneasy slumber. While he slept Tsunade ran her medical checks and found that he was suffering from malnutrition and dehydration but was otherwise healthy. He was badly in need of a new outfit and a bath along with a haircut and general grooming but that was just outward stuff. Inside he was as healthy as any recluse could be that hadn't gone completely primal. But her scan only told about his physical health. It said nothing about his mind.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: Unfortunately Hubby says he won't buy me the copy-rights so I don't own Naruto.**

**Hubby: Of course they aren't nearly as upset about that as you are.**

**Disclaimer: Huh? How come?**

**Hubby: Cause if I did they couldn't read any more of this story. Now get typing. They want to know what happens now.**

**Disclaimer: (mutters while striking keys) Slavedriver. Sheesh**

Chapter Three: The Cabin

She had him moved to a cabin on the outskirts of the village as he slept. He never woke while he was being moved and she made arrangements for one of the three of them to be with him at all times. She didn't understand why he hadn't spoken to them or shown any sign of recognizing them but maybe he'd just been alone for so long he'd forgotten how to. But if that was true walking through even the little bit of the village they'd led him through should have scared the bejebees out of him. It hadn't appeared to bother him at all. It distrurbed her that the only ones he had seemed to recognize were his old teammates and that wasn't a good recognition. The chakra buildup had shown he didn't like them. She wondered if he didn't like both of them or just one of them. If it was just one, which one? Somehow she thought it was both. And she wondered why. She knew that the old Naruto would never have allowed anyone to know he didn't like someone but this Naruto seemed far less able to pretend about what he felt and thought. Idly she wondered who else it would turn out that he didn't really like.

The weeks passed and Jiraiya, Kakashi and Tsunade continued to care for a silent Naruto. They never failed to try and get him to talk but he never had anything to say. He gave no sign of even knowing they were there beyond the inital glance when one would enter his field of vision. However they couldn't complain he was hard to care for. He would follow their directions and do as they bade him to do unless it was to go into an examination room. Then he would plant his feet and stand as still as any thousand year old tree grown in firm soil. No amount of pulling or pushing would budge him an inch.

"How the 'ell does he do that," Tsunade complained to Jiraiya. "I am strong enough to lift boulders and throw them across a field but I can't budge him when I want him to go into an examination room."

"I don't know. Maybe someday you'll be able to explain the purpose enough for him to go in on his own."

"I've explained every damn function of the room. He just won't budge. No one can stay still if I want them moved and you know it." She huffed and puffed, pacing first one way. Then the other. "But that Gaki is defying me. He's just standing there."

Jiraiya shrugged again and wisely kept his mouth shut. A frustrated Tsunade was not someone to argue with. Besides watching Naruto was way more interesting. It was interesting to see someone so simple in their daily routine. Someone without an ulterior motive behind everything they did. Even children were not as innocent as his Gaki now was. He watched as Naruto moved to the front door.

Most of his days were spent sitting in the yard listening to the animals and watching as the sun made things sparkle in it's light. At first, he'd tried to go into the forest surrounding the cabin but either he, Tsunade or Kakashi had gone and headed him off. They didn't want him to wander away from their protection, knowing they could lose him again if he did. Naruto might not be aware of his enemies but they were. So now Naruto just chose a spot under the cherry blossom tree and stayed there all day. Even if it was raining, he just sat and let the drops fall where they pleased. Nature didn't scare him and his bond with it seemed peaceful in the extreme. He seemed happiest when he was outside and most days he had to be led inside when darkness fell. They'd found it was useless to try and get him inside during the daytime.

The village was abuzz with rumors about him. Those who had seen him in Tsunade's office had spread the word and now it was the favored topic of conversation everywhere from the local laundermat to the bars. Everyone seemed to have something to say about him whether they knew him or not. Some didn't recognize his description and wondered who he was, while others, who knew who he was, wondered if he was sane. Still others wondered if the Demon was in control now since he seemed not to care about anyone any more. Several, out of fear and hatred, called for his death but Tsunade, as always, said no and kept his location to herself. But those who knew him all wondered why he had come back. Some wondered why, when he could have gone anywhere and been safe from Konoha he hadn't chosen somewhere else to go after six years of being gone. Others made plans to rid themselves of him once and for all. Their past behavior driving them to fear the meaning of his return.

Finally she came again. Jiraiya sat at a window observing her approach. He saw her pass the Anbu guards who didn't even react to her presence. He sat up straighter and watch her with surprise. He wasn't alarmed and yet he knew he should be. Someone who could walk right past the guards without them noticing was definitely a cause for concern. Yet all he did was sit and watch as she sat down before Naruto and place a ghostly hand on his head. He saw the tears run down the young man's face for all that he made no sound as he tried to think of who she was. Who she could possibly be. She sat there in the yard with Naruto and talked with him in her silvery voice as soft as the wind. And yet Jiraiya heard the words she said to him.

She said, "Live Naruto. The time is coming but you must be alive. Live now. I have brought you to the people who will help but now you must let them. Live Child of the Sun. Grow and shine in the light. Live Child of the Air. Let it's gentle caress soothe your soul. Live Child of the Water. Let the soothing waves wash away your sadness. Live Child of the Earth. Let the ground be firm beneath your feet and provide you solace. Live Child of the Lightening. Let the bolts of heaven defend your will. Live Child of the Flame. Let the fiery blaze stretch forth to warm your soul. This is your time, my Child. All the world's hope resides in you. You are my gift to the world and none can match what I have given. You have the power and the will to do what must be done. In you, all the elements combine. For you are My Child; My Gift. Now and Forever." Her words faded away as did she.

Jiraiya almost missed the whispered word Naruto said in response. "Mother," was all he said as his eyes closed and he fell asleep. After a few minutes of sitting in total shock, Jiraiya had gone out and picked his former student up. He had carried him inside and put him to bed knowing full well it made no difference to Naruto where he slept but also knowing that Tsunade would have his head if he left the boy sleeping outside. Then he sat down and began to puzzle out their strange visitor. He thought back over her appearance. She had seemed to be formed of liguid sunshine all golden and shining with an inner light yet the color that came to mind was not gold but silver. Like moonlight on still water. It made no sense, he thought. Naruto slept for a week straight.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I _Do _have a maid it seems but that doesn't mean I own Naruto or his friends.**

**Hubby: What do you mean by that? We don't have either a maid or the copy-rights.**

**Disclaimer: If I don't have a maid then tell me who started the washer?**

**Hubby: ...(Someone has to wash the clothes)**

Chapter Four: Exposed

Kakashi was beginning to think they'd never get him back the way he had been. They'd been caring for him for more than a month now and he was still the same as he had been when Kakashi had found him outside the gates. He didn't understand why he'd even gone and gotten the Hokage. He should have left him there living in the wild. It was clear to him that the boy they'd known didn't exist any more. He didn't understand what had happened to make him like this. He had hoped the boy would recover and come home just to show them he was stronger than they thought. But not like this. This wasn't showing strength in any way shape or form. This was weak. It just confirmed what Kakashi had always known about the boy. He was weak. If it wasn't for his big talk he had nothing at all to offer.

He did try to find out what Naruto remembered from that last mission but the boy said nothing and he convinced himself he didn't remember anything. So he just helped take care of him, waiting for both Tsunade and Jiraiya to give up and lock the boy away in the Home for Mentally Deranged Nins, though he wasn't sure the boy even qualified as a ninja at all. His ability had always been less than adequate. If it hadn't been for the Demon sealed inside of him, he'd have never made it to genin status. So even if Tsunade and Jiraiya did give up on him that didn't mean he'd have a place at the home. That place had it's own board that determined who qualified to be there and who didn't.

But he didn't believe there was anything left of the old Naruto once he'd been cleaned up and his rags replaced with fresh clean clothes. It had been surprising to see the headband still firmly tied around the golden head of tangled hair. Sure the eyes were the same color but Naruto wasn't in them any more. He no longer seemed to care what people thought about him. He no longer seemed to want to prove himself worthy.

When it wasn't his turn to guard the boy, he met with his other students and told them what he saw. Sasuke, his pride and joy, was furious but Kakashi didn't understand what was making him so angry. Both of them wanted to see for themselves who he'd become. Sasuke wanted to challenge him in order to prove himself better. Kakashi told him he'd have to wait since there is no honor in fighting the deranged and mentally ill. Sasuke would glare at him and storm off to go demolish some wooden posts for a few hours. He was costing the team money with his temper tantrums but Kakashi didn't mind because every practice session made the Uchiha stronger.

Sakura only called him a traitor. She didn't care why he'd left them. She wanted to get even for the damage he'd caused the last time she'd seen him. Naruto was unaware that when she'd visited the cave he'd left her unable to hear for a month. It had taken that long for Tsunade to rebuild her eardrums for her, all the while questioning how she had been that hurt while others had suffered no such damage. She remembered all too well what it was like to be locked in a world where everything was quiet and she wanted vengeance for it. Kakashi told her the same thing he told Sasuke. There was no point in confronting Naruto now. He didn't and wouldn't remember why she was beating him up. Her fellow nins would just see her as a bully if she went after him now.

But everything was about to change. Kakashi knew it when Jiraiya told him about the visitor. He bit his lip and spent as much time hanging around the cabin as he could. He hoped he'd be the only one there when the boy woke up. Maybe he'd get a chance to warn him not to say anything to cause trouble. He'd threaten to have Sasuke and Sakura double team him if he didn't keep his mouth shut. Those two would get what they wanted and he'd be safe in the ninja community so he'd be getting what he wanted also. But Jiraiya rarely ever left the brat's side these days. Even when it was Kakashi's turn or Tsunade's Jiraiya was usually there also.

After his week long slumber, Naruto woke and stretched. He didn't remember going to sleep in the bed and it puzzled him for a minute. Then he realized he didn't know where he was. There was a ceiling over his head when he could have sworn he'd fallen asleep under the sky. He rose from his bed and stumbled out the window. Once outside in the fresh air he breathed a sigh of relief and sat under the spreading branches of a cherry blossom tree. He closed his eyes and just listened as the birds sang to him of their fight to build their nests and find food for the day. Squirrels chattered to him telling of their hunt for seeds and nuts. Rabbits hopped close and brought him bits of leaves and grass. He pet their soft fur while accepting their offerings before they scampered away again. He was unaware of the humans observing him. Deer ambled close showing no fear of his presence. He gave them the leaves and grass the rabbits had brought him and they'd wander off again. Naruto just sat and watched as the animals went about their daily lives. Finally Tsunade walked over and sat down in front of him.

"Naruto, I'm glad you came back home to us. I wish I knew how to help you now." She sighed.

"She told me to come," was the quiet response. Tsunade almost missed it.

"She did? Who is she?"

"Mother."

"Mother? You mean your mother? But no one knows who your mother is or was Naruto."

"She is Mother." He was adamant about it. "She said come here. Obeyed Mother."

"Can you tell me who she is so I can thank her? I missed you so much."

"She is Mother." He pointed to a small statue nearly hidden from view in a niche of the garden wall. "Mother," he said again. Tsunade's eyes widened when she saw the statue of Kami in her mother form.

"You mean Kami told you to come home? Kami brought you back to me?"

"Home?" Naruto questioned. "Not home." He shook his head. "Here."

"Oh Naruto. This is your home. You were born here. Grew up here. This is where you belong. These are your people. Your precious ones. The ones you fight for."

"No. Not home. Not my people." He sighed and gave her a look full of sadness. There was no anger in his gaze but the sadness she saw nearly broke her. "Will fight. For her. For you. Not them." He waved a hand to encompass the village beyond the cabin grounds.

"But what changed Naruto? Why did you go away?" Tsunade was choking back tears as she listened and tried to understand. She hadn't noticed Jiraiya and Kakashi came into the yard but Naruto had.

"Was hurt. Fought hard." His voice faded to a mere whisper. "Pain. Death." He pointed at Kakashi who was walking by. "Scum. Left me."

Kakashi was floored. He had assumed Naruto would follow them back to the village. He hadn't realized he wasn't for hours and by then he was too tired to go back for him. Everyone was injured and tired and sore. He needed to get everyone back to the village. He couldn't go back for just one person. Besides there was Sasuke to consider. The village elders had wanted him back as soon as they had found him so he had to head straight back. He told himself he'd had no choice but to leave Naruto behind.

But now looking at Tsunade's angry face he had no doubt he would live to regret that decision. He never even felt the blow that sent him flying across the village only to be caught by an equally angry toad and tossed back. He was caught again as Tsunade sent him flying towards Jiraiya who punted him back to Gamabunta who sent him back to Tsunade. They continued to play ping pong three ways with the hapless Kakashi until Naruto interfered and rescued him.

He set the battered man on the ground and walked away. He didn't stop the game because he liked Kakashi or because they were treating him too roughly. He just stopped it because he could. He sat back down under his tree and watched as Kami took care of the world.

Jiraiya and Tsunade joined him under the tree and Kakashi limped away to go get treatment. He knew neither of them were finished with him yet and if he wanted to survive the rest of their punishment he needed to be whole and healthy. Right now he felt as if his spine was a pin cushion for some old lady's sewing project of the month.

"Why did you stop us? He abandoned you."

Naruto shrugged. He didn't want to tell them the truth. He didn't want to tell them he had died there. He didn't want to tell them Kakashi had abandoned the Fox in his form. So he just sat silent and said nothing at all. His eyes spoke of his sadness and the pain he'd felt but his voice stayed still. He couldn't hide his eyes, as the fight with his father and his heros played again in his mind, they watched his emotions through them. He couldn't hide the hurt as he saw his sensei watching but not trying to help. He couldn't hide the pain when the swipe had ended his life. He couldn't hide the fear when the Beast got free. Or the disgust when it was over. All the ninja's dead and in pieces on the ground around him. Because they followed the wrong leader. Tattered remnants of what used to be people. Now just fodder for the grist mill of evolution. Because they stood between him and his goal. His goal of returning the spoilt orphan prince. His goal of gaining recognition. Recognition he finally knew he'd never be given. He couldn't stop the tears as he watched them walk away, knowing they'd never cared for him at all. Knowing they didn't care that he was dead. Knowing he had no place to go back to. Tsunade adn Jiraiya watched as all the pain he'd felt filled his eyes as he remembered the day his dreams died in blood and destruction.

Finally he spoke the words, in the breath of a whisper, that chilled his listeners to the bone. "Was dead. Nothing left. Just the Fox." He stood up and moved away into the forest following the trail left by the deer as they sat stunned. Unsure what he meant they looked at each other and let him go. Finally, Tsunade decided she needed to find out what had happened during that battle. Somehow she had a feeling she didn't know the truth. She shuishined back to her office and called for all the members of that old rescue group to come see her except for Naruto. She wouldn't subject him to them again just yet. Not until she knew the truth anyway.


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: Nope not rich. Don't own Naruto.**

Chapter Five: Exposing the Hate

Sai came in with Yamato. They were followed a few minutes later by Sakura and then by Sasuke. Two and a half hours later a taped and bandaged Kakashi came in.

"Two and a half hours Kakashi? After Jiraiya and I just got through showing you our appreciation you still make me wait. Would you like to play some more, ToyBoy?" she yelled.

Kakashi gulped as his eye flew wide. He waved both hands in front of his chest while backing up to try and use his students for cover. Sakura and Sasuke just looked at him in puzzlement. What had he done now? "I was at the hospital getting bandaged up," he sputtered.

"Hokage-sama, you called us here for something. Make I ask, now that we are all here, that you tell us what it is?" asked Yamato bowing low before the upset Hokage. It wasan't that he felt any sympathy for the one-eyed ninja. Any sympathy he might have felt for him had died a long time back when he'd been assigned to team seven and discovered for himself what kind of a ninja Kakashi really was.

Tsunade got control of her temper and said, "As you may already know Naruto has come home. He is not the same boy he was six years ago. Six years of hibernation will do that to a person, I guess. He doesn't talk so well now but he said something today about that battle six years ago that I need clarification of. So I want each of you to recount as much as you remember about it."

"Dobe probably lied but as I wasn't involved I don't see how I can help," said Sasuke.

Tsunade glared at him. "I doubt it. You have to actually understand speech and be able to speak well in order to lie. Naruto doesn't. Nor did I expect you to remember anything since you weren't victorious in that battle," she sneered, causing Sakura to gasp. "I'm well aware you only remember your defeats so long as there is something you can learn from them but since you never do learn you obviously remember none of them."

Sasuke blinked. He wasn't used to people talking to him like that and it shocked him to hear it. "I can't help it I'm more powerful than he is. Maybe I would remember my defeats if they were actually brought about by skill instead of cheap tricks and luck. But cheap tricks and luck are all one such as myself can expect from someone such as him. It isn't my fault he's a loser from the gutters of society. But as I said, since I wasn't involved in the battle I don't see why you called me here for this. I need to practice and get stronger." He turned to leave but Tsunade stopped him before he'd taken more than a step.

She spoke over Sai as he muttered, "Yeah and it's not his fault you are a spoilt brat either but he never held it against you." Sai and Yamato were the only two people in the gathering that had no axe to grind against Naruto. Neither of them had ever tried to hurt him or use him towards their own gain. Both had wanted to understand the boy and help him if they could and both had come to quickly understand the dynamics of team seven. Tsunade said, "I did not dismiss you. You'll stay right here until I am sure there is nothing you can add to this recounting."

As Sasuke got into a glaring match with Tsunade, Sakura intervened. "I will tell you what I know," said Sakura puffing herself up with a sense of her own importance. "But Sasuke-kun is probably correct. Naruto may be a Dobe but he does understand how to talk. He probably did lie about it. He was always trying to claim Sasuke-kun's credit for victories in battle." She shrugged and smiled at Sasuke.

"Well, as Sasuke just admitted he wasn't involved in that battle, Naruto couldn't very well have been lying to take his credit now could he?" snapped Tsunade.

"Well, he also likes to take credit for other peoples battles also. He doesn't care who actually won a fight if he can find a way to make himself seem important he takes the credit. I know it was probably Kakashi-sensei who won the battle there or maybe Yamato-sensei since Sai was with me and Sasuke-kun." She didn't notice the glares and narrowed eyes of the others in the room. Sasuke did and so did Kakashi but Sakura was wrapped in her memories. Kakashi decided, for his own safety, he'd better try to recall as much as he possibly could about that messed up mission.

"Let's see now. As I remember it, when we reached the Sound Village we split up. Sai and I went to find Sasuke while Yamato-sensei and Kakashi-sensei had to drag Naruto off to find Orochimaru. He wanted to go get ramen if I remember correctly. Stupid Baka smelled the stuff as soon as we got close to the village and that was all he could talk about as we entered the town. You know Naruto. He can't resist an opportunity to pig out on that stuff."

"Anyway, as Sai and I headed for the tunnel we assumed would lead to the housing quarters, we began to encounter enemy ninja. Although they weren't very strong or capable, we fought a great many of them before we were able to break through. Sai helped a great deal with his inked animals but even so it was I who got us out of those tight quarters. I remember thinking the others would have an easier time reaching Orochimaru since Sai and I seemed to be fighting the whole mess of rogue nins in the tunnels. I punched a hole in a wall and found Sasuke fighting more nins on the far side of it. I climbed through alone because Sai was injured and went to aid Sasuke. I helped him finish the fight but I noticed one of his enemies had gotten lucky. He was injured and his chakra was nearly gone so I had to heal him up before I could help him to the surface."

"When I got there I saw Naruto just standing watching while Kakashi-sensei was standing guard over Yamato-sensei. I yelled at him to help Kakashi-sensei but didn't stick around to see if he listened. Kakashi-sensei probably didn't need his help anyway since we all know that Baka is more of a hindrance in a real battle than a help. I went back to where I'd left Sai and found another nin trying to sneak up on him. I dispatched that nin and healed Sai enough so that he could walk and helped him back up the tunnel. A couple more nins tried to attack us but I shattered the walls of the tunnel trapping them behind us."

"By the time we got back to the surface, the fight was over and Naruto stood in a mass of bloody bodies looking more like a beast of prey than a human being. He was all covered in gore and blood. Kakashi-sensei was trying to lift Yamato-sensei and carry him up to where Sasuke-kun was waiting. As I brought Sai over to the same spot, I yelled at Naruto. I remember there seemed to be a purplish haze over everything but I don't know why. Maybe it was just because I was nearly out of chakra after healing both Sasuke-kun and Sai, who should have been more careful. I told Naruto it was time to get his cowardly butt in gear since we were done now but he didn't move but I wasn't really paying much attention since Sasuke-kun's wounds had started bleeding again."

"Kakashi told me to help Sasuke-kun since he still wasn't up to moving far on his own and he picked up Yamato-sensei. Sai fell into step beside me and we left. The Baka didn't follow and I don't know why. When we made camp for the night I had recovered enough of my chakra to tend everyone's wounds. Sai was fine and I just needed to wake up Yamato-sensei but Sasuke needed some more serious care. His wounds had finally stopped bleeding but he was unconscious for some odd reason. Kakashi-sensei told me not to worry about him and to get some sleep. He watched over him that night while I slept. I expected Naruto to join us at the campsite, and was prepared to give him a piece of my mind for not helping Kakashi-sensei and Yamato-sensei in that battle they had, but when morning came, he hadn't shown. Sasuke needed medical attention so we decided to head back here and just reported him as missing."

Tsunade's eyes flashed. "So, basically, what I am hearing is that since you had the teammate you cared about, you wrote the other one off. Nice job, Sakura. Even I thought you had more heart than that and I know just how little heart you actually do have."

"But Sasuke-kun was injured fighting a much more difficult battle than any Naruto fought. Naruto should have been just fine. I'm still not convinced he fought anyone at all. When I saw him after I brought Sasuke-kun up, he wasn't fighting anyone. He was just standing there watching as the senseis fought. I've given it a lot of thought since then, Shishui. He betrayed us. He could have followed us if he wanted to but I guess he figured if the village would send us to bring back Sasuke-kun they'd send someone to bring him back also but he's not as important as my Sasuke-kun is. Just because they were both orphans doesn't mean they have equal status. My Sasuke-kun is way more important than that no-name Baka ever could hope to be. Stupid Baka."

Tsunade ignored the comments on Naruto's parentage and just addressed the rest of the statement. "How do you know? You never even checked on him did you? You just assumed he did nothing during the battle even though you admit he was covered in how did you put it? . . . Oh yes, blood and gore. You never checked to see how much of that blood was his, did you? You were the team medic. It was your job to make sure all your teammates were in an able condition to make it home again. But you didn't, did you?"

Sakura's eyes widened as she thought back and realized she hadn't thought about him being injured. Naruto was rarely ever hurt that badly in battles when she wasn't also. She had just assumed that because her battle hadn't been enough to hurt her that his hadn't either.

"Oh come on, Shishui. You always act like this where he's concerned and he is always just fine. That Baka is too stupid to get seriously hurt. That is, _when_ you can get him to fight. Besides the only one he ever really does fight is Sasuke-kun and that's just cause he's jealous of him. My Sasuke-kun is the best ninja in this village. So no I don't believe he fought anyone there since Sasuke-kun was with me and therefore he wasn't injured at all."

"The only Baka I see is standing in front of me now making excuses for why she didn't do her job properly. No matter what you personally thought of the members of the team you were sent with you had the job of making sure they were all in proper condition to make it home at the end of the battle. That included Naruto. You were negligent in your duty. But we'll see what your teammates have to say as to whether he was also or not." Tsunade glared at her student with eyes that promised a world of pain for the arrogant girl in the next training session.


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: Ok so I don't own Naruto. Kishimoto probably thinks if he sells me the rights I'll kill off the pink-haired banshee but she does have a purpose in the story. She's an excellent target. . . for me .heehee**

**Hubby: And you wonder why you only have boys. . . (shakes his head)**

**Disclaimer: That **_**thing**_** would never could never be my little girl. She isn't qualified. (Crosses arms over chest and sticks nose in the air.)**

**Hubby: Uh-huh sure Rose. Careful you don't drown that way. It is raining, you know.**

Chapter Six: Yamato's Viewpoint

Tsunade dismissed her once she realized the girl had gotten her point and watched as Sakura sank down on the couch beside Kakashi. She turned to Sai. "I assume she pretty much got the story right for you?"

He shrugged. "I wasn't quite as useless as she made me out to be but she was in the lead most of the way. It's a good thing I draw fast though. She wouldn't wait for me to make sure passages were clear and so precipitated a lot of fights we could have avoided but she was afraid of reaching her LoverToy too late. So she barreled ahead and left me to mop up behind her."

"How did you get injured?"

"One of her flying rocks landed on my leg. Bruised the bone but didn't break it. I got lucky. I think she'd have left me behind also if it had. While she dragged her LoverToy to the surface I continued to mop up the left-overs who were trying to follow her up. Things would have gotten real messy if that rock had hit my drawing hand instead of my leg."

Tsunade glared at Sakura while she waited for Sai to add anything else. When he didn't she turned to Yamato. "Since you went a different way than Sai and Sakura and you had Naruto with you, how about you tell me what you can remember?"

"It was chaos all around. Sakura was right about Naruto smelling the ramen stand but wrong about his comment. He said they couldn't all be bad guys since it was obvious some of them liked ramen. Else the stand serving it would have gone out of business already. I thought it was a pretty astute thing for him to note. But at no point did he express a desire to forget the reason we were there and just go eat ramen. It wasn't that kids style. Only thing he seemed to love more than ramen was a good fight." At this point Sasuke chuckled. He had opened up more since his return to the village but laughter and chuckles were still rare enough to elicit startled glances from those who heard it.

"What's so funny?" asked Sakura.

Sasuke said, "Naruto is the whole reason that stand was there. It was to entice him into the village and while he was scarfing it down, he would be drugged and taken to the labs. Orochimaru and Kabuto felt the same way Sakura does about Dobe's love of the stuff. I told them he wasn't that stupid but they believed his love for the stuff would overpower his battle sense and they could try and force the fox out of him and into Orochimaru. No one ever ate there because the ramen was drugged daily just for Naruto. It was also only open when Orochimaru had reports of Naruto sightings around the base. Someone really should have gotten him out of the blaring orange jumpsuit he always wore."

Tsunade nodded and motioned for Yamato to go on with his explanation. "I think for you to fully understand why Naruto felt he was abandoned by his comrades you need a fuller understanding of Team Seven and the way they operated. When Sai and I were assigned to the team, it was just Naruto and Sakura. He had already betrayed us to join the Snake Sannin and Kakashi had turned his back on the others to rejoin Anbu. He was off doing dangerous missions under the guise of finding his missing student and Sakura was training under you. Naruto had Jiraiya but only when there was no one in the hot springs or other bathing places. He spent a lot of time alone and Sai and I both got to see how the kid thought and worked. We both saw something unbreakable in him and now you say it broke. I hope not." He paused for a few minutes to gather his thoughts back to the dysfunctional Team Seven.

"When you'd be too busy to work with her or you'd send her out to practice with us, she refused to work with either Sai or myself. And she barely tolerated Naruto though he tried hard to show her ways to improve and did his best to build her confidence. She said none of us were worth her time and effort. She said we were all just filling stones until the real members came back. I'll give her credit for one thing. She never did believe he was really gone." He pointed his finger towards Sasuke.

"When she did pay attention it was only so she could criticize our techniques even though it was beyond her abilities to duplicate them. Naruto didn't spar with her but he stood and let her use him as a punching bag while she practiced her techniques."

"I heard her once, telling someone that she was almost strong enough to do what Naruto couldn't. What, in her opinion, he didn't want to do. She was sneering when she said it and I almost went over then and there to teach her just how far off base she was but I didn't. Now I wish I had."

"Later I asked Naruto why he just let her beat on him without throwing up any real obstacles for her to work around. He told me that in the beginning he had tried to do that but she would get so mad she'd tell Kakashi that he was trying to hurt her. Kakashi told him to stop fighting her. He said if she complained to the wrong person the council would think he was letting the demon hurt their ninjas and they'd act on it. But when he tried to stop sparing with her, she complained again. Kakashi told him he had to so that she could improve."

"To Naruto, that meant he had to be her punching bag now that Sasuke was gone. From that conversation, I found out that before Sasuke had left us Kakashi had told Naruto he was never to refuse Sasuke a battle. If Sasuke felt the need to fight then Naruto was supposed to crawl out of his grave and do it. He also wasn't ever supposed to push Sasuke so hard that Sasuke would lose the fight. Kakashi had told Naruto that the only way anyone would believe he'd beaten another nin was if he'd let the demon fight for him. He'd told him the council would take action if they heard he was winning in his fights. So Naruto never fought back against his team or any other of his fellow nins." Sasuke was glaring at Kakashi now as was Tsunade. Even Sakura wasn't looking too happy with him.

"He would meet with her at the training grounds and let her pummel him until she got tired. You may have taught her to be a great medic but I never once saw her use that ability for him. She never found him to be worthy of her skill I guess. Sai and I took to carrying our own medical packs and we'd bandage him up. She would beat him to a bloody pulp and then turn away, sneering about how weak he was. She would berate him for getting hurt in the first place and tell him he needed to learn a better defense if he wanted to beat her. She told him she would get her Sasuke-kun back without his help. Only a strong person could show Sasuke-kun a reason to return. But she was the only one who couldn't see he could beat her with his eyes closed and one hand tied behind his back."

"After she'd leave with her nose in the air, and we healed his injuries, I'd watch him practice. He'd summon clones to battle against. Divide them into teams and have them practice his jutsus while he tried to build his strength and stamina. I never saw anyone work so hard. Every day it'd be the same thing. She'd beat the crap out of him. We'd heal him and then he'd practice until he couldn't even get to his knees anymore. One or both of us would carry him home and pour him into his bed. He just kept saying over and over again that he had a promise to keep. She's lucky he's a better man than I am."

Tsunade growled, "Why, Kakashi, should I not tie your hands and do to you what you let them do to him?" She put her fists on her desk with enough force to leave small craters behind as she stood up leaning her weight forward.

Again Kakashi gulped. He had been pretending to read his book and trying not to pay attention to the various death glares that were flying over and about his head. He needed to recall every detail of that last fight he could before it was his turn to speak and somehow he had to turn it around to where it was Naruto who misunderstood and chose not to follow them back to the village. As it was he had no idea what she was talking about. "Eh? I'm sorry. What?" he asked.

Tsunade growled and started to come around the desk. Both Sasuke and Sakura moved to stand in front of the hapless sensei as Sakura said, "Now Tsunade-shishui I think you should hear the rest of the battle before you do anything you'll regret later. After all, you haven't heard his side of it yet." Tsunade gave the nin one more gulp inducing look before she turned her smoldering gaze back to Yamato. "Continue."

"Yes Ma'am. When we got there I thought it made sense for Sakura to stay out of the village until the battle was over. I wanted to take Naruto with me in one direction while Kakashi took Sai with him. I knew Kakashi would want to go looking for Sasuke so I figured Naruto and I would look for Orochimaru and Kabuto. But instead before we could split up the way we should have, Sakura made a snide comment to Naruto about the ramen stand and took off to go find her lover-boy. Since Kakashi wasn't doing anything, I sent Sai after her. I could hear her trying to send him away but he stayed with her as the rest of us chose a different tunnel. We came to a passageway and Kakashi decided Naruto should take the left while we went right. I didn't agree but he was the captain. And Naruto obeyed without question. He always did. To him they were good people and he owed them his obedience. I asked him about that once also. He just said people like him who had demons inside weren't good people like they were."

"Kakashi said we might come to another choice and then we would all be split up. We didn't. He and I entered an open area and found about ten Ninja waiting for us just as Naruto appeared in another opening. At the far entrance I could see Orochimaru with Kabuto but Sasuke wasn't with them. We were going to turn away when Kabuto noticed Naruto and took off after him. Of course I ran to help the boy but the other ninjas in the room had other ideas. Kakashi and I found ourselves facing the ninjas while Naruto was left to fight the Sannin, who had followed Kabuto, and his apprentice alone. I passed out due to a knock on the back of my head and that's all I know. I do know the one to knock me out was the last of the ninja we were fighting so Kakashi should have been able to go help Naruto as soon as he finished that guy off."


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: Ok So while it's true I don't own Naruto it's also true you guys don't like to review. Too bad I need those reviews if you want the rest of this story. **

**Hubby: Rose that's mean.**

**Disclaimer: Nuhuh. It's simple truth. I have the story worked out but how do I know what needs fixing if they keep it to themselves?**

**Hubby: Well yeah but maybe they just don't have any advice to offer.**

**Disclaimer: so . . .over 1300 hits and only 8 reviews is sad. . .makes me think they don't like it.**

Chapter Seven: Kakashi's Version

"Well, Kakashi? What's your story?"

"Meh. I did what a good sensei is supposed to do. I stuck by my most vulnerable teammate so that I could help him if he got into trouble. He's a magnet for trouble it seems because no more did we come into that clearing that Yamato-san mentioned than we were in a fight for our lives."

"I assumed Naruto ran as usual, because I didn't see him fighting with us against the ninjas. One of my standing rules is for him to run at the first sound of battle. He just isn't strong enough to do what has to be done when it's a life or death fight. He's great at sparring and if he can knockout his opponent then he'll do alright. But he just can't bring himself to kill the enemy. So I have a standing order for him to run from the battlefield. That's why Sakura calls him a coward. Because he is in that situation."

"It was only after the last one fell that I realized he'd been fighting Kabuto and Orochimaru by himself. I don't know why he took them on alone. Maybe he was trying to prove something. Got tired of being the weakest link maybe. I don't know but the outcome was guaranteed from the moment he engaged them. Naruto wasn't the killer they were and he should have known he was no match for them. If it hadn't been for Sasuke and Sakura I would have sent him back to the academy where he would have eventually given up and gone into some other line of work. Something where real men aren't needed but that fight does explain what happened to him. Even Sasuke and I would have had a hard time beating them together like that."

Tsunade interrupted, "But didn't I hear someone say something about him killing Kabuto at least?"

"Well, it's possible I guess. I know I didn't kill the guy and as Yamato was already down he didn't either. Of course it's possible that Orochimaru killed the guy himself. I just don't know." He paused to consider it. Then shook his head and said, "I really think it's more probable that Orochimaru killed Kabuto than to believe Naruto did it. He just can't bring himself to kill anything for any reason. If he could he wouldn't have lost at the Valley of the End."

Tsunade growled out, "That was a different battle and even you should no there is no comparison between killing a frined your battling and killing an enemy. Naruto didn't try to kill Sasuke cause he knew he'd get in trouble for it if he did."

"Maybe but that assumes you believe he cares what the council and the village think of him. I know he doesn't. It also assumes you think he would feel it if they did try to punish him for anything he does. He laughs off their punishments like they're nothing. Nor do I think he knows what a friend is so there really was no difference between the two battles for him."

"You're a fool Kakashi," said Sasuke. "Naruto could kill if he wanted to. Anyone but me that is. Hokage-sama is right about why he can't kill me. He and I are too similiar. We have too much in common. For him to kill me is like killing himself. Same for me now. I couldn't kill him either. For the same reason."

"Meh whatever. But you aren't as weak as he is. You wouldn't just merely knock out an enemy and walk away like he does. Anyway on with my version of what I remember. Yamato passed out on the last target and I quickly dispatched him before turning to find out where everyone else had gone. I couldn't go to his aid because the Akatsuki showed up. While I was busy trying to keep them out of the battle, I saw Naruto had surprisingly gotten Kabuto backed into a corner. He was nearly down already and Orochimaru was doing some jutsu with his hands."

"Four more Nins rushed into the room and before I could interfere they were standing one to a corner in a box formation around Naruto. They started doing a jutsu also. Naruto was giving it everything he had but I could see he was tiring. I couldn't do anything because, other ninjas were gathering at the mouths of the various tunnels that led into the room so I didn't dare leave Yamato unguarded and I was battling the Akatsuki who'd shown up. I still haven't figured out why they were there."

"Somehow I find I'm having a hard time believing you even wished to interfere," said Tsunade, twirling a pencil on her desktop.

"I would have gone to cover him if I could have. Given him a chance to get away. Just cause I believe he didn't deserve to be a ninja doesn't mean I wished for his demise. I was just as happy as you were when he showed up at the gate. Remember?" He paused to let the memory of that event solidify in her mind before he picked up the threads of his story again.

"Still, I tried to help from where I was standing by shooting fireballs and even a water dragon at Orochimaru but he wouldn't be distracted as he summoned forth his coffin trick again. He summoned all four of your predecessors and then the four in the box formation slammed a barrier around the boy and the Hokages. There was nothing I could do to help him at that point. He had to win on his own this time instead of having Sasuke or I bail him out at the last minute. Maybe he'd finally learn not to bite off more than he could chew. He really shouldn't have become a ninja."

"I had managed to send the Akatsuki running and took on Orochimaru. I managed, due more to his poor health, to defeat him once and for all."

Sai whispered to Yamato, "Or maybe it was more because Naruto had already almost defeated him. Yamato nodded in agreement as he also knew just how strong Naruto really was and couldn't believe that Kakashi really thought the boy weak.

Kakashi continued without appearing to hear what the two said though there was a slight tightening around his eye. "As I finished my battle I turned to see how Naruto was fairing and it was just as I had thought. He was no match for them. Naruto just wasn't strong enough. He couldn't bring himself to hurt them. He never did understand what it truly means to be a ninja. A shinobi."

"He was using his jutsus but they were having little, if any, effect because either his aim would be off or he wouldn't have channeled enough chakra into them or he'd have channeled too much and they'd explode on him before reaching them. He kept trying to do the Fourth's jutsu but let's face it, he's no Fourth."

"Maybe if you would have put just a little bit of effort into training him he would have surprised you," puzzled Tsunade. "From what I hear you only really taught something to the Uchiha here. Even Sakura had to go find a different teacher in order to learn something useful. No, I don't believe the fault was in the student at all when the teacher doesn't teach."

"I don't think so," Kakashi growled. "I saw what Naruto was capable of in the Chunnin exams. I heard how people were talking and I wondered the same thing. But I came to the conclusion after the retrieval mission he messed up that it was a fluke. An aberrant event. I don't know what happened to the Naruto from the Chunnin Exams but he sure wasn't the Naruto enclosed in that barrier. There was nothing I could do but watch as he ran out off chakra. He fell to his knees and the red chakra began pouring from his pores. I watched him transform and knew by his scream that it was the last time. He wasn't coming back from it this time. Maybe if Yamato had been conscious, and the barrier hadn't been there, we might have been able to save him." Kakashi finished speaking and looked to the floor at his feet.

"So then why did he say you abandoned him? Why did he say you let him die?" asked Tsunade.

"Because they did," answered Sasuke, bleakly. "To take out the barrier all you would have had to do was kill or incapacitate one of the nins at the corners. If even one of them falls the barrier is compromised and collapses. By killing Orochimaru, Kakashi-sensei pretty much guaranteed no one would interfere and Naruto would die. But if he hadn't killed him, then Orochimaru would have made sure that barrier stayed in place in order to get the power of the demon. Naruto was doomed the minute they entered the Sound. It's why I always tried so hard to meet up with them away from the village. Naruto may have been a Dobe but he didn't deserve what Orochimaru had planned for him. And he didn't deserve you either Kakashi-sensei." His eyes were bleak as he remember his former master and his years under his tutelage. Some of the learned behavior of those years fell over him as the memories played themselves out in his mind.

He continued, "Even if he'd have won that battle he could not have gotten out of that barrier alive without killing the ninja's powering it and since there was no way they would be on the inside of it with him, that means he would have to be dead for it to fall. Even with the Master dead those nins wouldn't have let that barrier collapse with Naruto still alive inside it. They were terrified of him."

"I don't understand," said Tsunade. "It sounds like you're saying that Orochimaru had this all worked out as a way to kill Naruto but wouldn't he want him alive in order to extract the Nine-Tails?"

"Once he was dead, the barrier would collapse on it's own because it was keyed to him, to Naruto, as the enemy it had been empowered to enclose. Not the Nine-Tails. It wouldn't have recognized the fox chakra at all. So in effect, Orochimaru-sensei figured the body would still be alive but the only occupant would be the Fox. He needed a new body and soon. What better body than one that is immortal? He figured on possessing Naruto's body and taking the Fox's power for his own. He was a fool but Naruto deserved better." He fell quiet as he saw things through Naruto's eyes.

Quietly from his place on the couch, Kakashi said, "So all I would have had to do was kill just one of those blasted guards at the corners. Why didn't I think of that?"

"Because you aren't as smart as you think you are," whispered Sai. "You let Tsunade-sama's adopted son die in a battle when he didn't need to just because you wouldn't believe in him. He always said when people believe in you nothing is impossible. He was forever saying "Believe in Me" and "Believe it" when he made an announcement or went off to fight. Maybe you should have tried it."

"You're right, Sai. We all should have," agreed a quiet Yamato.

**Author Notes: There you have it. According to Kakashi Naruto was in a battle he should have run from and didn't but we all know full well Naruto doesn't know how to run from a fight. Hope you like the chapter and remeber reviews are a writers best friend. If you don't review how do I know what to fix or explain better. To you the story is unknown but to me it's all known so maybe when I type it out something won't be as clear as I think it is seeing as how I am the god of this story. (It is in my mind you know)**


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight: After the Reports

While everyone had been talking, Naruto and Jiraiya had shown up and entered the room via a window. Well, sort of. Both of them were perched on the sill looking at all the people gathered together in the room. Jiraiya was carefully storing away the expressions on the faces of Naruto's old team as Naruto just looked at the group and said, "You had orders."

Everyone turned startled eyes towards him and Kakashi turned white. He hung his head lower. How had he known? Sakura broke the silence that filled the room. Her face turned as red as her dress and her hands balled into fists. "Naruto," she screeched, "that is not the way you come into the Hokage's presence. Get down from there and greet her properly." She totally ignored Jiraiya next to him as Naruto ignored her. Not even bothering to answer her he stayed perched in the window with his mentor.

Tsunade was staring at Kakashi, "What orders and from who?" she asked as Sakura stood and moved purposefully in Naruto's direction. Sakura didn't know exactly what was going on here but she knew bad manners when she saw them.

Naruto didn't even spare her a glance as he looked at Tsunade. When he was sure she was listening to him he pointed to Jiraiya and asked, "Training?" Tsunade nodded and both of them vanished the same way they'd shown up.

"How rude!" exclaimed Sakura, still at least four steps from the window. "When I see him again,. . ."

"You will do nothing." said an equally angry Tsunade. "It has taken a long time for him to come home and I will not have you or anyone else drive him away. He is just now beginning to tell us what happened to him and you will not mess it up. Your banshee behavior towards him stops today. Kakashi. I asked you a question and I want an answer." It was then she noticed he had left.

"Banshee? I'm not a banshee. Just because he's rude and uncouth, don't equate me with that. Not my fault I got assigned as his teammate. At least I tried to work a miracle with him. At least my parents taught me right from wrong along with the manners of how to behave in society. I tried to teach him since that's obviously why he was put on our team. No way could anyone have really expected him to be of use to us in any way." Sakura put her fists on her hips and glared back at Tsunade.

Before Tsunade could say a word, Sasuke said, "Since when? At least I recognized his power. You saw only what you wanted to see."

"Yeah. Speaking of that, why'd you get those injuries anyway? I know you're stronger than I am and I'm stronger than he is, so how come he was able to hurt you but couldn't even scratch me?"

Sasuke fell to the floor rolling in laughter much to her dismay. Everyone else face faulted at seeing the Uchiha on the floor rolling in laughter. Except Sai. Sai was also amused but, not understanding emotions, he didn't see what was so astonishing about the Uchiha laughing his ass off. People did that all the time. Now he just said, "You honestly think you're stronger than Naruto? Wow, Ugly. I knew you had an ego but I didn't think you were blind as well. You should really get one of those walking canes blind people use so I don't forget that." Yamato and Tsunade both smiled.

"Just what is that supposed to mean, you little freak of nature?" snapped an angry Sakura.

Sasuke sat up holding his sides, tears still rolling down his cheeks. He gasped out, "He means the Dobe took pity on you. He didn't ever fight you since Sensei told him not to. If he ever had, you would have no doubt you are definitely not his equal in anything important. So you can do genjutsu and he can't sense it until it's too late. So you have excellent chakra control. If he had as little of it as you do, this village wouldn't still be here but he'd have the same kind of control you do. Lucky for you he has much more to command than you."

"That doesn't matter at all. All the chakra in the world won't do you any good if you can't control it. So what does it matter?"

"He can control it, Hag. Just not as well as you do because there is so much more of it," said Sai. "It was for him and Sasuke that Kakashi taught you all tree climbing. They both had enough chakra running through their systems that it was causing them problems. As to why it matters, that's really simple if you think about it, Ugly. You know, for having such a wide forehead you really don't think too well?" He looked puzzled as he concluded, "I wonder why."

Everyone in the room could have sworn they saw the steam coming rolling out of her ears and heard the familiar sounding teapot whistle as her fist connected with the side of Sai's face and sent him sailing into the wall. "If it's so simple, how'd you ever figure it out," she snarled.

"It really is simple, Sakura," said Yamato, going to aid Sai out of the hole in the wall. "Naruto has a lot more chakra than anyone in this room. That means long after the rest of us are on our knees he can still be fighting using jutsus more complicated than we could ever hope to perform. And that's with his own chakra. If he calls on the Fox's he can keep going indefinitely."

"How many tails did he go to when he transformed inside the barrier?" asked Tsunade.

Yamato sighed. "I really don't know. I didn't see the transformation And I didn't come to until we were at the campsite. Sakura didn't see fit to rouse me until then. Maybe if she'd roused me as soon as she brought him up," He pointed to Sasuke. "I could have helped him. I don't give up on him as easily as Kakashi did."

"I told you already. He died in the barrier because there's no way Kakashi killed one of the guards and that's the only other way for it to come down. From Sakura's story, it's obvious it was down when she came up with me. I think I saw at least seven tails when she brought me up but I'm not sure. I wasn't thinking too clearly."

"Then how is he alive here now, Sasuke?" asked Sakura. "I may not always like Naruto but I'd recognize him anywhere at any time and that is definitely him."

"I don't know but I know it's him also."

"Could the fox have brought him back?" asked Yamato. "Because if he went to that many tails, then yeah, he was dead. No way could his body have withstood that kind of damage. Even she couldn't have healed him. That's if she had even cared to." Yamato couldn't hide the disgust in his voice. It was very clear he didn't think very highly of Sakura as a medic and wouldn't trust her on a mission to care for him or the team. And it explained why he was always asking for a different medic on away missions where they might see fighting.

Tsunade shook her head. "According to my understanding of that seal the Yondaime used on his son, when Naruto dies Kyuubi dies also. It's possible that something happened during the battle that let the Fox seal the boy off so that it would seem he died without actually killing him but I have no idea what he could have done that would do that and still let Naruto survive a seven tail transformation. His body wouldn't have survived it even if the Fox had managed to safeguard his mind."

"Wait," said Sakura. "Did you just say the Yondaime used that seal on his son? I thought Naruto was the only person the Yondaime used it on."

'I did and he did. Naruto is the only one to ever bear that seal."

"But that would mean. . . ," stammered Sasuke.

"That Naruto is the Yondaime's son? Why yes, I do believe you're right." Tsunade looked at the two chunnins in front of her desk and smirked. "I can't believe you didn't notice it for yourselves. He looks just like him."

The meeting broke up as it was getting late. Sakura and Sasuke left but Yamato stayed with Sai. "You should know I believe Kakashi was following orders on that mission, as Naruto said. But those orders didn't come from this office. I believe he was told to use Naruto's powers to defeat Orochimaru and free the Uchiha. Then he was to make sure the boy didn't, couldn't, return here. Someone didn't want the boy to survive the mission. And that's why my request for a rescue team was never sent." He turned and left the office with Sai in tow.

Tsunade sent her assistant, Shizune, to the records room to retrieve the records on that mission so she could find the answers Kakashi hadn't been willing to provide. What Yamato had said made sense but she needed to confirm it before she took any actions against the group.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine: The After Effects

Kakashi headed straight for his favorite get-drunk-and-pass-the-night-in-a-stupor place. He plopped himself down on a stool and motioned for the barkeep to keep it coming. He had a feeling it would take the man's whole stock to get him drunk enough to forget what he'd learned today and the trouble he now saw that he was in. No way did the Hokage-sama miss the fact that he had abandoned Naruto. No way did she overlook the fact that he'd had other orders. He'd be lucky to come out of this with his skin still covering his bones. And that was only if Naruto didn't decide he was owed also. Somehow he thought the Naruto he had brought back to the village was not the same easy going forgiving boy he had abandoned. He idly wondered how long it would be until the boy came for his revenge. In his mind there was no doubt Naruto would seek revenge. If he'd been the one abandoned he knew he would have wanted payback and since he had been the sensei for Naruot he couldn't believe Naruto would do any less than he himself would. He downed the drink and poured another. He had already handed his wallet to the barkeep and told the man to keep the liquor flowing as long as there was money in there to pay for it.

He wasn't left alone for long. Iruka came and joined him wanting to know if he'd really seen Naruto. He nodded drunkenly before pouring himself a refill. Iruka continued to talk to him, wanting to know where the boy was and how he could get to see him but Kakashi was so lost in the effort to get himself totally wasted that he didn't really hear what the teacher had to say. All he really heard was Sasuke saying he could have broken Naruto out of that box by killing a corner nin. Involved with his own dark thoughts he was wondering how deep his hate must have been for him to have allowed the situtation to have developed that far. He heard again Yamato detailing how poorly he had treated Naruto and wondered if he'd see the Shinigami his senseei was bound to when he died. If he did somehow he had a strong suspicion that his punishment for abandoning Naruto amongst other things wouldn't end with his life. Somehow he had the feeling his sensei would make all the punishment he got as a mortal look like a walk in the rain compared to what he could do to him.

He never even noticed when Iruka left him to his booze and someone else took his spot. They didn't stay long as it was clear he was only interested in getting drunk. People kept coming and leaving quickly but he didn't see any of them. Friends and acquaintances greeted him but he didn't respond. Even when Gai stopped by to share a drink and thought he needed company and another blasted contest he didn't look up from his bottle and glass. Gai eventually gave up, like everyone else, and left him to his solitary pursuit.

Kakashi just kept pouring one drink after another and drinking it as soon as his cup was full. The Barkeep kept his bottle full but otherwise left him alone until his eye closed and he collapsed upon the counter. The Barkeep took his due from the wallet Kakashi had handed him and slipped the much lighter thing back into Kakashi's vest. He had his bouncer pick up the copy-cat nin and take him to the emergency room. He knew the man would need medical attention after the way he'd been pouring the drink into himself that night. He just hoped there wouldn't be an investigation over how much alcolhol was in the copy-nin's blood stream.

Sakura had been told in no uncertain terms that if and when she saw Naruto she had better be as nice as was humanly possible if she didn't want her next training session to rip her a new one. Tsunade-shishui made it very clear that she was less than pleased with the report of her students behavior on missions and within her cell. Sakura decided she really didn't need to confront Naruto that badly after all. Tsunade-shishui angry during a training session was not an experience anyone in their right mind looked forward to and she, Sakura, was definitely in her right mind. Both of them.

Added to Tsunade-shishui telling her to leave Naruto alone, she had also been told by Sasuke-kun, Sai, and Yamato-Sensei to leave him alone. Those three had been almost as scary as Tsunade-shishui in what they promised her if they found out that she had bothered the blonde idiot. Why everyone was so bent on defending him now, she didn't know but it was clear they were. However she had no doubt that since he was now back her secondary job of civilizing him would soon begin. Kami knew the boy was nothing but a savage in human clothing.

She sighed as she entered her own home and greeted her Mother. She told her Mother of Naruto's return and didn't miss the look of pity on her face. Her mom had never asked any questions about Sakura's team or why she had Naruto as a teammate. Come to think of it, she had never once expressed any kind of distrust of Naruto or even disgust with the boy the way the rest of the villagers did. But to Sakura it just meant her Mother didn't understand ninjas and the job they had to do. It had never occurred to her that the woman might actually understand her teammate better than she did and feel a little sympathy for the child who grew up alone in a village full of enemies.

Sasuke had been left in no uncertain terms that he was to also leave Naruto alone. Tsunade told the pair how close they'd come the first day he was back to getting blown away and since she wasn't sure what Naruto had meant to do or to whom they should both just leave him be. To Sasuke, that was like saying Naruto was ready to fight him anytime any place it could be arranged. He set out immediately to find him, his blood boiling in his veins as he searched. It had been a long time since he'd had a worthy opponent and he could hardly wait. He grinned as he strolled along trying to look like nothing was any different than any other day but everyone he passed sensed his excitement. Most wondered at the cause but all were happy that the Uchiha was finally happy about something. It had been a long time since he'd been happy about anything. Alot of villagers had wondered if he'd ever really be happy again and if they'd made the right decision in wanting him to be a part of their village again. But the feeling as he passed them convinced them that everything would be alright again and so they went home happy also. If the Uchiha was happy than so was the village.

Tsunade arranged for Yamato to be brought into Naruto's orbit so that he could see if the seal was still intact or if there had been any changes made to it since the last time they'd seen it. Then she filed some of the paperwork that had piled up during her care of Naruto before heading with Yamato to the cabin where the boy staying.

Naruto and Jiraiya were still gone which she was grateful for since someone had chosen to give the place a new decorating scheme. She didn't know who had found them or even if it was more of the same that Naruto had always gotten. For all she knew it could have been a bunch of kids out looking to make trouble for someone or a bunch of women fed up with having to chase Jiraiya away when they wanted to bathe. In any case, it had to be cleaned up before they got back and Naruto saw it. She called in her personal guards and got them to help. By the time they were done she was hot and sweaty but there wasn't any more toilet paper cherry blossoms clinging to the tree branches or eaves of the cabin. The soap writing had been washed away and everything looked as peaceful, if a little barer than it used to be,as it could with four trash bags sitting on the curb.

She fixed a nutritious dinner for them anyway before going to clean herself up, leaving Yamato in the sitting room. While she was in the shower she heard them come back and finished as quickly as she could. She introduced Yamato to Naruto and watched as he just stared through the man. He made no effort to greet him but he also showed no sign of rejecting him. Yamato for his part made no aggressive move towards him and just welcomed him back to the village. He promised to help Naruto in any way he could.

"So how'd it go at practice today," she asked once they were all seated at the table.

"He's still a powerhouse and as far as I can see his little break from reality hasn't harmed him at all. If anything it's made him more focused. The only thing I think is really different now is that he won't fight another nin for fun anymore or as a test of his power or theirs. If he fights you, he's fighting to kill you," Jiraiya told her.

Naruto finished his food without comment and took his plate to the sink. He set it down and then went to the room they'd told him was his. After he had shut his door Tsunade asked, "Did you ask how he feels about his old team?"

Jiraiya nodded, his eyes so angry they sparkled. "He hates them. All three of them. It's like when they left him there the blinders fell off and somehow it became ok to admit he doesn't like someone. That led to admitting he hates people. That led to forgiving himself for hating them." He sighed and then continued quietly, "Most of us grow up learning to like some people and dislike others. Naruto never allowed himself to admit he didn't like someone let alone hated them. We tell the young students their teammates will be their family. He truly believed it was wrong to hate his chosen family but those three made it easy to hate them. Sasuke treated him like a piece of dirt not even worth noticing while Sakura acted like he was some wild animal she needed to civilize and Kakashi treated him like he was only there to be a puching bag for the other two. I don't know that someone else with his power could have held back the hate half as long as he did but I guess he never thought they'd be the one to kill him and then just leave him behind like that."

"Honestly, I'm surprised he didn't kill Kakashi while he was helping us here. He hates Sasuke because Sasuke abandoned him here. Left him to face everyone alone because even though Sasuke treated him so badly he did notice him. He did on occassion defend him from others. They had a bond Naruto didn't have with anyone else. And he hates your little apprentice for what she is. I honestly think he hates her the most of all of them. But as far as I could gather he bears no grudge against either Sai or Yamato here."

"Apparently when your little apprentice found him in that cave, she yelled at him for hiding there. She seems to have gone off on a tangent where he was the most ungrateful little worm she'd ever known for making you and I worry about him and ordered him to crawl out of there and come back here to face his execution like a man."

"Sounds like something she would do," said Yamato.

"How do you know she said all that? Did he understand what she was saying? I'll beat her black and blue if he did."

"Settle down. Apparently he only caught the gist of it. He had already lost most of his ability for speech by then but he did understand body language. And hers told him that she thought he deserved to die. I don't know the exact words she used but knowing her capacity for being insulting I think that's probably pretty close to what she would say and needless to say it's also more than likely the reason he didn't come back for such a long time. When he did return, he probably expected to die. I think he was trying to for all those years but that fox wouldn't let him."

"Well, I don't think he was _trying_ to die. He believed he was already dead. I think the fox was trying to make him live," said Tsunade quietly.

"What do you mean?"

"I had them all explain what they knew of that battle years ago. Kakashi admitted he didn't help as Naruto was fighting with Orochimaru and Kabuto. Claimed he couldn't. Naruto managed to kill Kabuto, which from Kakashi's words I think surprised him. But before he could kill Orochimaru, the snake had him sealed in a box barrier with the revived bodies of every Hokage who ever lived here." Tears worked free of her eyes and rolled slowly down her cheeks. "That snake made him fight his own father. He couldn't kill them. They were his heros. His idols. His only family. To Kakashi, that inability is proof that Naruto doesn't understand what being a ninja means." She ran a shaky hand over her cheek to wipe away a teardrop.

Yamato felt out of place here now. So he quietly got up and carried his dishes to the sink. He nodded to Jiraiya and indicated his wish to leave. Jiraiya nodded and Yamato took his leave.

Tsunade kept talking without notice. "Sasuke said the barrier was tied to Naruto's lifeforce. There were only two ways it would come down. One was if someone killed one of the corner supports and the second was if Naruto died. Since the supports were outside of the barrier, Naruto couldn't reach them to kill them and Kakashi didn't. So that means that to all extents and purposes Naruto did die in there."

She placed her head in her hands and cried. Jiraiya pulled her close and just held her while tears caused his red make-up to run and drip onto his broad sleeve. Pale rivulets marked the passage of water flowing from his eyes as the two sat in silence crying at the hate the boy had known. How could an instructor just stand by and not even try to help his student in a battle he admitted he knew the boy couldn't win? The concept was foreign to the both of them. And then to call the boy weak for getting defeated.


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: Ok so if you don't know it yet...once again I don't own Naruto. If I did. . . well let's just say I'd be living much larger than I am.**

**Hubby: Rose just write the story.**

**Disclaimer: Well, you know this is true. We'd be living much larger than we are now. Maids and someone to answer the door and the phone and someone to cook for me...**

**Hubby: Quit dreaming and write, Rose. You made them wait long enough. (me too)**

**Disclaimer: Oh alright you grump. On with the story. . . **Chapter Ten: Hyuuga Entrance

Morning came and found the little cabin to be quiet. Naruto had woken hours earlier and gone outside to greet the day. He'd fed the deer that walked along the trail beside the cabin and left some radish tops for the rabbits. For the birds, he sprinkled some seeds and bread crumbs Jiraiya had helped him get the day before and corn was left for the squirrels.

Jiraiya took him for a hair cut. He'd sat nervously but quietly as the woman had wielded the sharp scissors over his head. He'd noted Jiraiya was carefully watching the woman also and that caused him to relax a little bit as the golden locks dropped to the floor below him. His hair was still long enough to be bound back in a braid that reached the center of his back but it was clipped short around his face. His blue eyes shone clearly now as did his headband that he'd never lost or removed during his years away.

Then they had gone shopping, walking slowly through the market place. Jiraiya had stayed close by and his presence kept people from getting too close. They'd gone into a few stores but hadn't stayed long. Jiraiya had chosen some new clothes for him and new weapons but Naruto showed little interest. He held what Jiraiya handed to him and tried on the clothes he picked. But that was as far as his involvement in the shopping expedition went. Some of the store owners tried to dote on him because of Jiraiya's presence but Jiraiya just brushed them aside. Others tried to refuse him service because of who he was but Jiraiya brushed them aside also. He went in where he wanted and pulled Naruto along behind like a little child's pull-toy.

They had avoided the training grounds where the others of his class might be practicing and when they had passed by Ichiraku's Naruto had made no move to go inside. His total lack of reaction had surprised Jiraiya but the man said nothing as Naruto passed by the stand. When he was finally in a spot to see the faces carved on the side of the cliff, Naruto stopped and stared for a long time. He didn't cry but his expression had become so intensely sad it made Jiraiya want to mourn for him. Even knowing about the battle, he knew the pain Naruto felt was worse than anything he had ever experienced.

While they had been walking around the village people had gathered in teahouses and bars to gossip about his strange behavior. The prevalent question on everyone's mind was why was he back now? No one knew but everyone was curious about it. Around the village his old friends heard the rumors and tried to find him. Some saw him but a quick glance from Jiraiya had them backing away before Naruto saw them. Jiraiya acted like he might snap at any moment and they didn't know what to think when they later met up with other friends and teammates. By nightfall word had spread that he was back but he was not the same Naruto he had been. Gone was the loud boisterous behavior that had driven everyone so nuts and yet had made every day a joy to be alive. Now he was a quiet solemn boy who only looked like the old Naruto.

Meeting up at the Bar-b-que place favored by the Ino Shika Cho team the former rookie Nine plus three discussed what to do. Ino showed her maturity by declaring that they do nothing at all. She said that if Jiraiya was shadowing naruto so closely that maybe it was in everyone's best interest to just wait until they were told it was ok to visit him again. Shikamaru backed her up saying that if Naruto needed some space and time than as his friends it was their duty to give it to him no matter how troublesome it was. Lee couldn't accept just standing back and doing nothing and neither could Kiba so they compromised. They would go and see Tsunade. If she said Naruto should see them then they would try to find him and force a meet but if she said to back off and wait then that's what they would do. They all admitted they really hoped she'd say it was in his best interest to meet up with them again but Ino knew that wasn't what they would hear. She had been learning alot from her parents over the last six years and knew Naruto needed space and time to recover his mind in peace.

Tsunade had sat in her office trying to get through massive amounts of paperwork detailing missions gone right and missions gone wrong. She tried to file upcoming missions according to rank needed for probable completion but it was hard to accomplish anything with all the interruptions of nins and civilians stopping by wanting to know the truth of his return.

Koharu and Homura both wanted to know why, if he'd finally returned, he wasn't in prison and she told them for the same reason the Uchiha wasn't imprisoned upon his return. He was ill. They insisted that his case was not the same as the Uchiha child's. The Uchiha had been run off by him and they had known where he was all the time. If that boy hadn't been so jealous they'd have the Uchiha back long before he had finally returned. Koharu pointed out, as proof of her claim, the fact that when the Uchiha had finally returned it was with the news that the Demon wasn't coming back. Therefore she concluded it is logical to see that we are in danger so long as that beast is left free to roam as he pleases. She tried to claim that they owed it to the Uchiha child to gaurantee his safety by locking up the Demon Brat. She insisted that if they didn't the Uchiha Child might run again and that would not be in the best interest of Konoha. Tsunade countered with the fact that Koharu misread the relationship between naruto and Sasuke if she thought for one minute that either boy was afraid of the other. She stated that if Sasuke did run this time she would not be sending anyone after him to bring him home again. She had wasted enough of her time and resources chasing after the spoilt boy of a man.

This declaration made Koharu angry and she ranted about past misbehavior assiociated with Naruto until Tsunade was seriously ready to strangle her just to shut her up. Tsunade had been informed that he was to be delivered to the prison no later than sunrise as they knew the Demon could not possibly be ill, especially since he'd been seen just that morning in the market district terrorizing the shop owners. She snorted but gave no answer to their threats. She was the Hokage and when it came to the ninja's in the town she answered to no one. Though she had no proof yet she was sure they had something to do with Kakashi's secondary orders to make sure Naruto did not return to the village six years earlier. But without proof she could do nothing. One thing was sure though. She wouldn't be allowing them any say over him now or ever again. She sneered as they turned and left her office only to see Hyuuga Hiashi waiting in her ante-room with his daughters, Hinata and Hanabi. She sighed but beckoned them inside. Hiashi inclined his head and rose from the seat he'd patiently been waiting on.

He came into the office followed by his daughters, who carefully took seats next to each other on the couch along the back wall. Once he saw they were seated as ladies of their station should be he addressed the Hokage. "So from the exit of those two, I take it the rumors of the boy's return are true." It wasn't a question but Tsunade nodded anyway. "What is your plan to keep him safe this time? You know there are many who were hoping he was gone for good and they won't be happy to find he's back."

"I know but he isn't the same, Hiashi. Something broke in him during that battle all those years ago and we weren't told the truth of it either. I have to come up with an appropriate punishment for those who left him to die alone. I have to come up with a suitable way to express my displeasure with a sensei who thought it ok to let him battle two S-class nins alone. To let him fight the ghost of his own father as well as the ghosts of every person he'd ever loved and respected. I can not worry about stupid townspeople afraid of the big bad boogie man under their beds right now."

"What do you mean, left him to die? What did that fool of a sensei do to him?"

"Just what I said. Apparently he had orders from outside my office. Orders to make sure Naruto did not return. After the battle was over Naruto was somewhere between six and seven tails. He was struggling to regain control I believe but that man just left him there. He walked off and left him to regain control alone, Hiashi. As far as they knew he was dead when he didn't show up at the camp they'd made. Neither of them bothered to make sure. I also need to find out where those secondary orders came from."

"And that scum is still a ninja because?"

"Because the council would have a fit if I stripped him of his title over an event six years old or longer. An event I can't prove. Naruto spent an entire year right outside our gates being refused entry every single day. If it wasn't for Kakashi seeing him approaching one day he might still be camping right outside never knowing how much I, and others, wanted him back. Because of that, I can't strip Kakashi of his nin status though I am sorely tempted."

"Demote him," came a soft but firm voice from the couch. "He deserves that and more."

Hinata was sitting still with a fire burning deep in her eyes. She had always seen more in Naruto than most did and she alone knew how poorly he was treated by everyone in town. At first, when she was younger, she had thought her life was hard. Then she had met Naruto. Right away she had seen through his mask and she began to follow him around wondering what his life was like that he wore such a total and complete mask all the time. She had seen the villagers beating on him and abusing him for little or no reason. She'd told her father what she'd seen and heard. He'd turned away admonishing her to stay away from the boy but she couldn't and she didn't. He gave her inspiration to keep trying no matter how many times she failed. She would watch him knock himself out trying only to get up and do it again over and over again.

Over time her father came to realize what she saw in the boy and began to listen as she told of what she'd seen. Sometimes he would even ask her what she'd observed. He saw a different side of his kind and gentle daughter and came to realize that when he focused her spars on an enemy of Naruto's she could totally clean the opponents clock. She had no mercy with those who were unfriendly to Naruto. Now she could hardly contain herself. Hiashi recognized the anger in his gentle daughter and knew it would be a mistake to let her around any of the group who had left the boy to die alone.

For him, just seeing the boy made his eyes hurt. It was like looking into too bright a flame after being in total darkness. A walking, talking orange ball of sunshine on the street corner. But Hiashi had seen that Naruto's words gave her strength and helped her resolve and that made her a better heir to the clan so he took to using Naruto's language to help her.

Hiashi said, "I, and my daughters, should have gone looking for him as soon as they came home without him. Hinata was suspicious of their story from the start but I wouldn't listen. Maybe if I had we'd have found him sooner. How is the boy? I had heard he was like a wild animal, silent in his approach and manner."

Again Tsunade nodded. "He is but he's getting better. He doesn't say more than is needed but he had the most unusual visitor I have ever encountered in my life. Well I didn't encounter her. Jiraiya did but he swears she called Naruto the Child of the Elements and commanded him to live. And I know for a fact Jiraiya wasn't drunk because I questioned Naruto after he woke up. He slept for a week after Kami came to visit and when he woke up is when he began to speak again. I asked him about it and at first he just called his visitor Mother but when I asked who she was he pointed out the figurine in the garden wall niche. He told me he is here because she wanted him to be here. But he doesn't care about anyone any more. I don't think he remembers how to. He cares about nature and everything in it. Jiraiya said they had to buy bird and squirrel food as well as food for the rabbits and deer who wander near the cabin. Naruto insists on feeding them all." A small smile softened her eyes as she remembered seeing him set out the various types of food. She remembered Jiraiya cussing as he hit his thumb driving nails into a squirrel feeder Naruto insisted was needed and getting varnish on his nose as he varnished a birdbath for the yard.

"So how can we help you to protect him until we find out why Kami sent him back to us? She has to have had a reason. While I find it hard sometimes to believe in her it's equally hard not to and even I know she does nothing without a reason. You say she commanded him to live and called him a Child of the Elements. What did you mean?"

"I mean according to Jiraiya she named him six times; once for each of the elements. She also called him her Child and her Gift. And as for why she sent him back to us, I believe she knew I would help him to live again. Something he really wasn't doing before. Jiraiya had him out for some sparring practice yesterday and I believe he is going to do so again today but as soon as I can get him to accept one of you without firing up his chakra I'd like to find out what your eyes can see that my scans, and Yamato, couldn't."

"Is the demon seal still there?"

"I don't know. Yamato looked, or tried to look, the other night but neither of us have been privileged with a look at his stomach when he's had his chakra in use. That's what I'd really like to know since, according to what I found out, the only way he could have escaped that battle was to die first."

Both girls gasped as tears sprang to Hinata's eyes. Even Hiashi drew in a startled breath. "If he died then why isn't Kyuubi in charge or dead along with him?" he asked when he regained his composure.

"I'm not sure. I think it's probably because the Fox realized what was happening and did something to make it seem the boy was dead while he really wasn't."

Hiashi nodded and said, "Send me a personal message when you think it'll be alright for one of us to meet with him. I'll bring Hinata since she has always been his friend and is, besides yourself, the one person in this place he would be most likely to trust."

"I will and thank you, Hiashi. Your support means a lot to me and to him even though he doesn't know it right now. Also can you look into who was behind the secondary orders Kakashi had to abandon Naruto on that mission? Somehow I have the feeling you'll find out alot more about it than I will."

Hiashi inclined his head. "It's the least I can do after the many times that boy has been willing to lay down his life for someone in this village. I've never met anyone as generous of soul as he is. That kind of generosity must be supported and renewed whenever possible lest it wear off and disappear." He motioned to his daughters. They stood and bowed low to Tsunade before falling into place behind their father.

The trio marched out to be replaced by others of the Rookie Nine with their Senseis. And so the rest of the day went as group after group came to hear whether or not the news was true. Some had heard whispers that Kyuubi was in control and the Hokage was fighting for Naruto to regain command of himself while others had heard he was only there to collect a bounty on a missing nin he'd killed for them. Wild stories about why he'd come back flew even faster than the news of his return had.

**Author Notes: Ok This chapter was a long time in coming. You can blame Two-Tails for that. he just had to go and get his own computer and load on this huge game that had like Mega sized downloadable patches that took like three days to do and kept me locked out of the internet the whole time. And then there is the bonus of the length of the chapter. It takes time to work all these little plot strings into the matrix in a believable way. Plot Bunnies are really nasty little creatures. Anyhow, don't forget reviews help keep the story moving along so send them in with your comments of how to improve my writing or errors I've made. And no Koharu may not like Naruto but she wouldn't hire Kakashi to abandon him or kill him. Someone else did that and I'm not telling you just yet. As always enjoy. Mother Rose**


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: Ok by now everyone should know I don't own the cannon of this story or any of the characters written about herein. However it is very good to know that so many of you are really enjoying the slightly twisted ideas my fertile mind keeps coming up with.**

**Hubby: would you just get on with the next chapter Rose? I'm sure they all want to know what Tsunade is gonna do with her traitor ninjas. Like I do.**

**Disclaimer: Hold your horses, Dear. I'll get to it. Anyway you got to wait for that a little bit longer. This chapter is just a short excerpt to let the readers see where Naruto is in his development. He has a long road to travel back to normalcy. **

Chapter Eleven: Naruto's View

By the time evening came Tsunade was more tired than she would have been if she'd spent the entire day running from bill collectors trying to collect all of her various debts at the same time. She still hadn't managed to read the mission reports she'd asked Shizune to get for her so she took them with her for bedtime reading. She had one more stop to make before she could go home. Wearily she made her way back to the cabin to check in on Jiraiya and Naruto. Jiraiya had been fixing a pot of stew for them when she arrived and he told her about the trip around town.

She found Naruto sitting in the garden near the niche with Kami's statuette in it. He had placed some pretty flowers there and was just gazing at it. For a few minutes she just stood there watching him but then he turned his head and smiled at her. It wasn't the smile she remembered seeing in the past but it was genuine nonetheless and it made her smile in response. She walked over and sat down beside him. "Hello Naruto. How was your day today?"

"Better." He pointed to her. It wasn't a question but she chose to treat it as one just as she'd done earlier that day with Hiashi.

"My day was fine. Lots of people in and out but altogether a good day."

He gave her a scrutinizing look before placing the tip of one finger on a wrinkle in her forehead. "Better." was all he said.

She laughed and said, "Well yeah you are too young for wrinkles yet. Tell me what you did today."

"Walked." He paused and then fingered his hair with a frown. "Haircut. Walked."

"Did you meet anyone else Naruto?" He looked at her but didn't answer. She tried again. "Would you like to meet your friends again?" He frowned. He looked at the ground. "Not really," he replied.

Tsunade sighed. "Alot of your friends came by my office today. They want to see you. They've all missed you and they want to let you know they're happy you're back. Are you sure you don't want to see any of them?"

He tensed as a far away look settled in his eyes. He appeared to be lost in thought and so she just sat on the grass and waited. Sometimes responses came very slowly. Then he said, "Mother says Hinata. Iruka."

"Kami told you to see them?"

He nodded and pointed at her. "Hinata." Then turned his finger to his own chest and said, "Iruka."

Now it was Tsunade's turn to think for a bit. Dealing with Naruto of few words was in it's own way much harder than dealing with the old Naruto had ever been. Back then if you took what he said at face value, he seemed to be just a stupid empty-headed blond who lived his life out in the wide open. But for those who took the time to think about what he said and did it was quite clear that he hid way more than he revealed. His words and actions usually showed something totally different than what they appeared to. Now he wasn't using inane sentences to convey his meanings. He honestly didn't have the ability to do that. So each word had to be puzzled over and the meaning derived. She considered possible meanings before she finally asked, "So she wants you to see Hinata for me but Iruka for yourself?"

He nodded and answered, "Iruka teach. Iruka friend. Iruka courage."

"Yes. He is a brave man and a good teacher and he was your friend. So she wants Iruka to teach you again? But did she explain why she wanted Hinata to see you for me?"

"Iruka-sensei. Help me. Hinata help you."

"What about Sasuke? Or Sakura?"

She saw the chakra start forming in his hand when she had mentioned her apprentice and wondered just what the girl had really said to upset him so bad he wanted to hurt her. "No," he growled. "No princeling and his whore."

Tsunade was shocked. In all the years she had known Naruto she'd never heard such language from him before. She wasn't even sure he'd known about those kind of relationships.

"Hate her. Mean. Disgusting girl." He was practically growling the words out and the chakra was growing large around his clenched hand. "Bitch in heat," he muttered.

"What do you mean?"

"He had her smell."

"When you came to the tower you could smell her on him so you don't want to see either of them? Well, they want to see you but I'll keep them away."

"He want fight. She want yell."

"Well yeah. You're probably right."

"No fight unless to kill. No kill except food, life."

"So you won't fight anymore unless it's something you'll eat or you are threatened with your life. And then you will fight to kill." She sighed but Jiraiya had already given her a heads up about it so she'd expected it. "Ok Naruto. I can accept that." She stood up and he stood with her. She gave him a quick hug and said, "I'll see you tomorrow. Be good now."

He nodded and watched as she left the garden. He knew she'd stop and talk to the red faced man again but he didn't care. Red face wasn't so bad and she seemed to care about him. He wondered why as he took a slow stroll around the yard. He checked on the feeders before he sat down again with his back to the stone wall. Who were they to him? They both seemed to be very upset by him now but he didn't know why. It made no sense to him. He tried to talk to Kami about it but she either wasn't ready to tell him or she thought he'd figure it out on his own.

After a few hours had passed Jiraiya came out to tell him it was time for sleep. He found Naruto sleeping as he was and roused him to go into bed. Once again the boy had fallen asleep without dinner and, though he knew Tsunade wouldn't be happy about it, Jiraiya didn't have the heart to wake him just for food. Besides Naruto never could eat first thing upon waking.

**Author Notes: Ok I know it's just a short chapter and all but sometimes in long stories there are so many people involved a short chapter is necessary just to remember where a character is. As always send in your reviews as they help me remember threads that might otherwise get dropped because I forgot about them. Next up. . . A meeting between Master and Apprentice.**


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: Ok so how many times do I have to say this. I do not own Naruto. . . or the pink haired Banshee Alley Cat.**

**Hubby: The story Rose. . .get on with the story.**

**Disclaimer: Hold your horses. **

**Hubby: We don't own any of those either.**

**Disclaimer: Huh? (sweatdrops)**

**Hubby: (sighs)** **Just type the next chapter before I tell them how long you've made them wait for it **

**Disclaimer: Ooook. . . On with the story**

Chapter Twelve: Sakura's Lesson

The next day passed in much the same manner as the previous one. Tsunade sent the message as instructed to Hiashi and they arranged for Hinata to come by and go to the cabin with her when she left the tower for the day. Hinata herself stopped by to confirm the time Tsunade thought she'd finish for the day before heading out for training with her teammates.

Then she had to fend off an angry visit by Koharu from the council. Apparently she had gone by the prison expecting to see Naruto but found he wasn't there as she had ordered him to be. Spitting and snarling she demanded to know where the boy was so she herself could send someone to arrest him personally. Tsunade refused to tell her and reitterated that she had no intention of arresting the boy after what she had learned about that old mission. Then she kicked the esteemed councilwoman out of her office stating that she had more important work to get done on behalf of the village than stand around exchanging hot sir with an old bitty like her. On her way out of the office, Koharu had bemoaned the fact that the office of the Hokage wasn't what it used to be. Tsunade knew what she really meant was the new Hokage wasn't the push-over Sarutobi had been. In Tsunade's opinion any day that started out with that ol'battleaxe whining was gonna be a great day.

After Koharu left Danzo stopped by. He didn't really say much but then again he was just fishing for information. She knew he really just wanted to find anything that might point to where they were hiding Naruto. But she smirked inwardly knowing he'd find nothing in her office to point him in the right direction.She chatted pleasantly with him as if she had no idea of his ulterior motive and waited for him to leave. he did after about ten minutes. She idly wondered why he really wanted to find Naruto so bad. There had been a time when Danzo had believed the boy to be the best weapon Konoha had in it's arsenal and she wasn't sure that he didn't still hold that point of view.

Next, she called in Iruka and told him Naruto wanted to see him. She explained how Naruto behaved now and begged him not to upset the boy with things he didn't remember. She also made sure to let him know he was the first person Naruto wanted to see just for himself. It had the desired effect, as she literally could see the poor teacher go into his protective mode.

After Iruka had run off to gather some things he thought might interest Naruto, she sent for her lovely apprentice. TSunade had listened to complaints from the hospital staff about Sakura's overbearing arrogance and had just assumed the girl would outgrow it. However after she had read over the reports filed at the time of the mission six years ago and then listened to the recollections of everyone on the mission itself and added to Naruto own very explicit descriptive words of her, Tsunade no longer held to the "it's just a stage" theory. She now believeed the once desperate biddable weak girl was an overpowering egotistical bitch.

Sakura had heard people were being allowed to see Naruto now once they were called to Tsunade's office. She didn't understand why the shy little heiress and Iruka should have gotten in ahead of her but maybe they'd been there for something else. She came bouncing in full of glee because she'd just known she was still the most important girl in town to him. Of course he'd want to see her and when she had him alone she could tell him exactly what she thought of him for upsetting everyone the way he had. "So when can I see him? Where's he at? I'll go visit him now."

Tsunade quickly burst her bubble by telling her, "Naruto doesn't wish to see you. I called you here to tell you to stay away from him. It would be very bad for you to come into contact with him right now."

"Nani? But. . . why?" Sakura was stunned. How could she be hearing this? Of course he wanted to see her. She was one of his most important people. The most important of his important people as a matter of fact. This was unbelievable. She had to be hearing wrong.

She came back to the conversation in time to hear Tsunade saying, "To give you an idea what I mean, he called you a bitch in heat. He has made it very clear that if he ever sees you again it will be too soon. Just what did you do to him?"

"He's lying. Of course he wants to see me. He loves me and I'll clean his clock for him for calling me that." She fumed for a minute. The strange thing was she never doubted he'd said that at all. He was a rude uncouth person after all. He always had been.

"No, Sakura. He doesn't. I don't know that he ever loved you. What I do know is, he hates you passionately now. He tried to accept you for who you were. He saw the real you flaws and all. He saw your shallowness but accepted it anyway. he saw the selfishness, the greed but he accepted them also. And how did you repay him? You abandoned him. No matter how hard he tried to help you, to be there for you, to give you strength, you turned on him. You betrayed him. You gave credit for his strength to others who didn't deserve it or want it. You gave his credit for good ideas to others whenever you could. You denied him anything that might mean acceptance as a human being preferring to see him as sub-human. And that I can't forgive. Or forget. As for the name he called you, I think it fits perfectly."

"Huh? Why does it matter that I didn't return his feeble affections? He had nothing to offer one of my status and talent. You yourself showed me my true potential. All he ever did was hold me back by focusing Kakashi-sensei, and later Yamato-sensei's, attention on himself because of his poor control. He even had Sasuke-kun focused on trying to help him rather than gaining more power to defeat his brother. That's why Sasuke-kun left me. He needed to go find a different trainer since Kakashi-sensei didn't have time to train him." She totally blew off the growing anger in Tsunade's expression as she spelled out her little fantasy. "He was just a stupid attention grabbing baka who held back our team from day one. If not for him Sasuke-kun would have aced those chunnin exams the first time we took them but no Naruto-baka had to go picking fights with a Sannin."

"But I taught him the error of his ways after he failed to keep his promise and bring Sasuke-kun home again. That was just the final straw and someone needed to teach him some manners. Not like anyone else was ever going to. You don't make promises you don't intend to keep." She growled as she smashed the fist of one hand into the glove of her other, which Tsunade had noticed she had on as she came through the door. Normally Sakura didn't wear her gloves unless she was ready to fight. Now as she listened to the girl rant she wondered if her intention to visit Naruto hadn't been to hurt him instead.

"He honestly thought I'd believe he had tried to convince Sasuke-kun to return. He lied. He gave me his word to do everything in his power to return my Sasuke-kun but he didn't. All he had to do was promise Sasuke-kun he'd never again take our Sensei's attention away from him but he couldn't make that promise. He was too selfish to do that. Too selfish to give up what he had no right to anyway. My Sasuke-kun needed that training because he does have the will to kill if necessary. But Naruto-Baka doesn't. Always talking big and making promises he can't keep. Talking about how he's gonna prove everybody wrong. But he's the one that's wrong." She took a deep breath and reigned in her anger just to finish up in a calmer voice, "So I don't see why what he wants matters at all. He's just a traitor to the village. Why can't you see that? He was gone for six years. But you will ignore it cause it's him who did it. Who knows what he was doing during that time."

Tsunade took a minute to gather her own rage under tight control. She didn't want to hurt the girl. Not physically at least. Well she did, but that wasn't her purpose in calling the little tramp here now. How could she have been so blind? She had honestly thought the girl just needed a reason to believe in her own strength to stop holding her team back. But when had the girl gotten so full of herself? How had she missed it?

When she finally felt in control enough to speak she said, "That garbage you just spouted is why you abandoned your team? Refused to use the healing I taught you for those who were entitled to receive it?" She breathed through her nose rapidly and noisely for a few minutes whilse sparks shot from her brown eyes. "You disgust me. I don't know who you are anymore but I know this. . .this _thing_ standing in front of me right now_ is not_ the same girl I agreed to train_._ As a student, I refuse to teach you anything else. You have taken my teachings and twisted them to suit your own wishes and that is not what I agreed to. You are no longer my student."

"As for the traitor in our midst, I think you are sadly mistaken. You called him a traitor but the only traitor I see is standing in front of me. For you are the only one on that mission who did not appear to have the best interest of the team or the village at heart while completing the mission you were given. You are the one who hurt your own teammate in a hasty explosion of your own power in an attempt to feed your libido. You are the one that rushed ahead of the team in a manner that could have gotten the whole team killed or captured. That makes you one of two things. Either a traitor who knew she would not be attacked because she was working with the enemy or a fool. Which title do you prefer. Fool? or Traitor? I think either one fits."

"You abandoned a ninja loyal to this village. Even Kakashi admitted it was Naruto who killed Kabuto and I know exactly how hard that man was to kill. But it didn't even occur to you that he might be in need of assistance. That was your job and you didn't offer anything but harsh words. Even Sasuke said he kept trying to go back for Naruto. But not you. You didn't even spare him a thought."

"And why should I have? That Baka has always pulled through before. It's not like he couldn't have caught up to us if he wanted to. We weren't moving all that fast. Besides Kakashi-Sensei said he was dead."

Tsunade was around her desk before she realized she was moving. Her hand flew out an made contact with Sakura's face, leaving behind a slightly swollen angry red mark that was really gonna hurt in about an hour. "We do NOT ever leave our dead behind. Especially ones like Naruto. So even if he had died, which he obviously didn't, he should have been brought back if his remains were not destroyed on the spot."

"I told you when I accepted you for medical nin training exactly what the position entailed. You agreed to those terms. You've broken them. Consider yourself a genin and if you ever abandon your team again, it better be because you had no other choice or I will bust you so low that you will wish I had killed you. You failed to do the job you were sent along to do. You were the TEAM medic and you failed them. All of the team was failed by you. So for now you will do genin work until you can remember what it means to be a part of a team. No ninja ever really stands alone, Girl," she sneered. "Therefore have fun remembering you used to be important to me and to him." Tsunade turned her back and walked back around her desk.

She took a deep breath and softened her tone. "He called you Sasuke's whore and personally I think he was right. You are behaving like nothing but a bitch in heat. And he is not the first to have said something of the like. Until you can get yourself straightened out, I don't wish to see you again. Now get out of my office."

Sakura was shaken to her core. "But Shuishi. . ."

Tsunade pointed a quivering finger towards the door. "You can leave on your own two feet or I can help you out. Your choice." she started cracking her knuckles and Sakura gulped as she got the point. Her Sensei never joked about beating someone up. Tsunade had turned every word she'd said against her. She'd painted her out to be lower than the lowest. In stunned shock Sakura left the tower.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter Thirteen: The Face in the Mirror

Her steps dragged and she found herself outside the Yamanaka Flower Shoppe. She sighed and opened the door. A bell tinkled and Ino looked up from the counter. She smiled when she saw her friend. The smile quickly faded when Sakura didn't return it.

"What's wrong, Forehead? Did Naruto refuse to see you?" Ino asked, unknowingly hitting the nail on the head.

"Yes he did, but that's not really the problem. Tsunade-shisho–no I can't call her that anymore– Hokage-sama called me into her office and I thought she was going to tell me where to find my traitorous teammate but she didn't. She told me to stay away from him at all costs. Naruto has gotten dangerous, I guess. She said he'd hurt me if he sees me."

"Wow," said Ino. "Did she say why?" under her breath Ino muttered, Traitorous teammate huh. Shouldn't surprise me I guess.

"She said he hates me now. But Ino, that doesn't make any sense. He's always known how I felt about Sasuke-kun and it never bothered him before. Why would it now?"

"Uh... Gee maybe because you never noticed when he stopped caring about you in the first place," said Ino, messing with her ponytail of long blond hair. She was surprised by what Sakura had said about the Hokage and her not being allowed to call her Shisho anymore but she figured Sakura would get around to the reason soon.

"He stopped caring about me? When? He always loved me. He was forever asking me out on dates. Right up until we got the Sound Village mission."

Ino gave a long-suffering sigh and rolled her eyes. Sakura was her best friend but sometimes she was just so very dense. "Sakura, he was only asking you out by that time to cheer you up. You'd get so depressed because the Uchiha was gone that none of us could stand it. Sometimes we had to beg him to ask you out again just because you'd whale away on him for it but feel better afterwards. But something else happened other than you learning he doesn't want to see you now. What aren't you telling me?"

But Sakura was still processing what she'd just heard. "You made him ask me out? He didn't ask me because he wanted to?"

Ino shrugged. "Some of the other guys tried to ask instead but you'd just ignore them if you even heard them at all. So we had to pay him those last few months to get him to do it but he was the only one you would react to," she admitted. "He knew you'd beat the crap out of him for it and it wasn't like he could ever get treated at the hospital, you know, so he wasn't exactly eager to please you. The rest of us could so we got him bandages and pain killers and waited nearby while he'd ask you. You'd beat him up and go away smiling. Then we'd heal him and take him for ramen while he pretended it was a good bargain. A lot of our friends wanted to give up on you but I didn't want to. You'd be alone if we did." She paused to make sure she had Sakura's attention. "But what else happened?"

With her mind on what she'd just learned, Sakura told Ino every word Tsunade had said to her ending with, "She called me a traitor, told me I am no longer her student since I abused her teachings, and took away my chunnin rank. I think I'm lucky to still be a ninja. She left no doubt that if she ever thinks I abandoned another comrade I won't be."

"Wow. That's harsh but I can't say you don't deserve it, Forehead. You did abandon him as near as I can tell." In her mind she was thinking, _bout time._

"What do you mean? My job was to find Sasuke-kun and return him alive and in as good a physical condition as possible. I did that."

Ino shook her head. "No Sakura. It wasn't. You were the medic on the team. You're job was to heal the team when needed so that everyone sent out had a viable chance of returning if at all possible. That's what we were told our first week of medic training. It was the senseis, Sai and Naruto's job to find and defeat Orochimaru, Kabuto and anyone else that got in the way. And it was their job to find Sasuke and return him to the village. Not yours What if he hadn't been willing to come? Did you ever think about what could have happened then?"

Sakura stubbornly insisted, "I didn't abandon anyone. It took too much of my chakra to get Sasuke-kun healed enough to last the journey back. I did what I had to in order to see to the completion of the mission." Ino said nothing but the look in her eyes was enough to get Sakura saying more. "I did heal Sai so he could walk. Otherwise he'd have been left behind. So you see, I did perform my duty as a medic."

"Barely," said a new voice coming out of the backroom carrying a tea tray with cups and a teapot. Sai set the tray down on the counter and said, "Hello, Ugly. Come here to whine about how unfair your life is again huh?"

"Sai," said Ino. "Don't pick on her. She's been given enough bad news."

"Nothing more than she deserves," answered Sai with a shrug. He picked up his teacup and added some sugar and creamer to it before stirring it carefully.

"Maybe so but it's still not our place to make a friend feel worse."

"She's not my friend. She beats on me almost as much as she did on him. At least I wasn't ever made to be her personal punching bag like he was. I guess there _is_ good reason to be thankful I don't have the Namikaze healing gene."

"That's true but she is my friend and if you can't be nice I'll have to ask you to leave so that she and I can visit in peace."

"Ok, I'll be nice but you have to do something for me."

"What's that?"

"Give me one good reason why you think she's your friend. If you can do that, Ino, I'll back off and leave her alone." That one sentence did more to wake Sakura up then anything he'd said since he'd brought in the tea tray. He honestly thought she and Ino weren't friends either? That he could come between them? How ridiculous.

"Be nice to her now and I'll tell you later," countered Ino. Sai nodded. He would accept that because he knew there really wasn't any reason for Ino to consider Sakura to be her friend other than that they were both girls and he knew that Ino knew it also. He really didn't wish to end the friendship between the two. He just wanted to make Sakura see her mistakes were with more people than just Naruto and he didn't like the way she treated Ino any more than he liked how she treated him and Naruto.

"So you both think I abandoned Naruto? That I don't deserve to be around Naruto now because I chose Sasuke-kun over him?"

"You did choose Lovertoy over the team. There's no question about that. But no, actually that isn't why I think you don't deserve to be around him now."

"Why do you and Yamato-Sensei call Sasuke-kun that, Sai?" asked Sakura. "And why then if not because of Sasuke-kun?"

"One because if I called him his true title you'd hit me or worse and two because it's true. For you at least. As for Naruto, you don't deserve to be around Naruto now because you never allowed yourself to see him as anything but a hindrance. He needs real friends. Not pain in the butts like you."

Thinking only of her Sasuke-kun now she asked, "What do you mean his true title? And what do you mean for me at least?"

"Well, to me Sasuke a traitor. Has been from the day he chose power over his teammates. That's his true title until he proves it isn't. And I mean HE proves it isn't. Not you make excuses for him and beat people over the head with them until everyone shuts up about it."

"As for what I meant by Lovertoy, well, that's not so complicated. You're obsessed with him. According to everything I've read when someone is as obsessed with someone as you are with him they'll keep going until they get what they want. They will sacrifice anything and everything to get the object of their desire. You've done that. And until you get it you won't be happy. But the sad part is, when you do get it you still won't be happy because somewhere along the line you'll realize that what you have isn't what you thought it would be. By that time though, you'll have nothing left but the shell of your obsession so you'll hold on even tighter until you choke the life out of both of you. In short, you'll destroy both him and yourself."

Both girls were silent. Ino knew what he said was true. She and Sai had held many a discussion about team seven since the team had abandoned Naruto in those ruins. Her friend was obsessed and had been since she'd first seen the boy at the academy. Sakura, because she wondered if it was true.

Finally Ino said, "I think you convinced yourself that you loved him because you just couldn't bring yourself to give up on him. A part of you was afraid some other girl would win his heart but he doesn't have one to win. He'll never love you no matter how many times you sleep with him."

"I'm not sleeping with him," sputtered Sakura.

Sai just looked at her while Ino laughed. "You've been sleeping with him since a month after he came back."

"Nani?" screeched Sakura. "Never mind. I'm heading out of here for now. Thanks for the talk Ino. I think." She got off her stool and walked to the door of the shop with a cheery wave over her shoulder.

"One more thing, Ugly. I know you've been wondering why you and Sasuke aren't Jounins. Maybe this is why. To be an elite Nin, you have to be an honest person. No nin is totally open but jounin aren't sneaking around trying to keep secrets just for the heck of it either," said Sai as she was walking out.

Sakura froze as her eyes opened wide. Could it be? Was that why Tsunade-shisho had never put in her name for promotion? She had thought she was just waiting for Sasuke-kun to be ready so that he wasn't the last chunnin from their class but maybe she'd been holding Sasuke-kun back. She needed to figure this all out, she thought as she walked off, letting the door close behind her. She really didn't want to be a genin again and she really didn't think she'd abandoned the team like they said. One thing was sure. She needed proof before she went to argue her case.

She thought about the report she'd filed on the mission. She'd had to file one since she was the medic assigned to the team as did Kakashi as team leader. She needed to read those reports to know for sure.

Before she went home to change her clothes, she went back to the tower and to the missions record room. With her chunnin vest still on no one questioned her right to be in the room reading old reports. She walked the files of cabinets looking for the one that would hold those from missions of that time frame. She found a drawer that looked to be the right dates and pulled it open. There in the front was what she was looking for and she quickly snatched the folder out.

She took it to a table and sat down to read it in comfort. She found a copy of her mission report and at first she was reading for proof of her attempt to fulfill her role in the rescue. But soon she found herself counting how many times Sasuke-kun had been named in the report. She had listed in detail how many injuries he had from his battle and how she'd helped him finish off his opponent since the only teammate there was injured also. She noticed that although in her memory she had played a much larger role in the fighting, when she filed her report she seemed to be almost too careful to leave out the details of her battles. It was obvious, by the editing of the story and by the fact that she didn't mention how Sai acquired his injury, that the report wasn't honest. She had mentioned healing Sai's leg so he could walk but not until after she had gotten Sasuke-kun to safety. One glaring thing the report made crystal clear was who was the important person of the mission. Sasuke-kun. It was as if he was the only other person she had actually seen from the moment he'd shown up on the scene until they were back in Konoha. No one else except Kakashi-sensei even got mentioned more than once. She hadn't even made mention of the ramen stand or what she'd thought she'd heard him say about it. She never mentioned his disappearance or a possible reason as to why. It was as if he hadn't even been there to her. Her only mention of him at all was to blame him for being the reason for Sasuke-kun getting injured since he'd run away as a result of Naruto-baka seeming to be stronger than he thought he was.

She put her own report back and saw Kakashi's behind it and pulled his out. Behind his was one filed by Yamato and she pulled that one out also. Maybe one of them would mention something she could use to defend herself.

Reading through Kakashi's report of the battle was almost as bad as reading through her own. His wasn't filled with comments about Sasuke-kun's greatness and prowess in battle. Or about how his life was hanging by a thread after the battle Naruto had to have caused somehow but in a way it was worse. There was almost no information in it at all. They went there. They entered the village. They fought sound ninjas. Naruto got trapped and had to fight Kabuto while she went off with Sai to find the target. He killed Orochimaru while Naruto was still trapped. He killed one Akatsuki and caused three others to run off. That was surprising. She hadn't even known they were there. And then they left with the target that she and Sai had found. Sai was injured. Yamato was unconscious as was the target. Mission accomplished with one missing in action or casualty. He didn't even list Naruto as the one missing from the returned ninjas. But then again neither had she. At least he had mentioned someone was missing.

She opened Yamato-sensei's report and began to read. It was much more detailed. His report told of her constant sniping of Naruto and Sai for conduct she considered unbecoming. He made mention of Kakashi's apparent unconcern due to the fact that he never once put away his book. He reported their arrival at the village and Naruto's comments about the place having a ramen stand. He then told of having to send Sai off to follow Sakura who entered a tunnel without permission in order to go find the target. He also made mention of how Naruto tried to stop her but she didn't think she'd need help since she was stronger than anyone else there. He went on to report about how Kakashi had sent Naruto off alone down a tunnel saying that they might all end up alone in very separate tunnels each having the fight of their lives without finding their target. But it was clear that Yamato-sensei did not approve of sending Naruto off alone. His report detailed how he and Kakashi wound up fighting ten sound nins in a large circular room and how the last of them had knocked him unconscious. He went on to say how he was woken up only when the battle was already over and they were ready to head out the next morning. Kakashi had reported Naruto was supposedly following behind to make sure they weren't followed back to Konoha. He didn't report anyone as dead but he did make note of the fact that Naruto had not caught up to them as they got closer to the village. He recommended a search party be sent to find the young ninja.

Reading that report opened her eyes. She saw how both she and Kakashi-sensei had disregarded Naruto's worth and belittled his efforts but more importantly she saw from the report how a real ninja was supposed to behave. The detail showing that she had not revived Yamato-sensei confirmed the need for her disciplinary action. She also noted that Kakashi-sensei had lied to Yamato-sensei. She wondered why. She sighed as she stood to put the reports back in their place. She closed the drawer and turned to go, knowing she needed to look no further to see what a horrible friend she had really been.

Standing in the doorway was Yamato-sensei. "So you decided to read up on the mission to get all your answers down pat? Who do you think will question you now? No one cared six years ago when you abandoned him." he asked her.

"It isn't that. Well, yeah. That was why I came here but now I don't care who wants to ask me about that mission. I guess I just needed to see myself as I really was from back then."

"And what did you see?"

"I saw a me I don't like very much. I needed to know if I really had been so obsessed with Sasuke-kun that I turned my back on Naruto. I needed to know if I really was that shallow of a person."

"Back then? You still are. You will do or say anything if you think it will make that little princeling of a man happy. But nothing will really make that one happy and in your effort to bring a smile to his face you cut down anyone in your path. That's pretty shallow to me."

"I know. I saw my abysmal report myself. It was horrible." She paused, tears in her green eyes. "Sensei, how come I was allowed to retain my rank back then when it's so very obvious I failed to do my job? I don't understand."

"Because the council was happy with you. You brought their little orphan prince home. What's more you got rid of something they always saw as a problem. They never cared what happened to Naruto and neither did you. Don't try and act like you did now."

"I'm not. But I did a horrible job. I didn't even care about you or Sai. All I cared about was Sasuke-kun."

"I know. And as far as I can tell, that's still all you care about. You don't even care about your former Master. Otherwise you would have already followed the instructions you were given to remove that vest and turn it in. You came here to read the reports that were filed in hopes of finding something that you could use to prove Hokage-sama's reading of the situation was unjust. But it wasn't, was it."

"No but the council wanted Sasuke-kun back alive, Yamato-sensei. They wouldn't have been so understanding if he had died on the way."

"Ah but he wasn't in any danger of dying now was he? I know Sai told you on at least three occasions that Kakashi had used a jutsu to make him sleep until we got back here. And that was after Kakashi finally managed to make you spend some of your precious chakra to wake me up. Do you even understand why he wanted you to wake me? You were trying to wake him up because you wouldn't accept Sai's word. And you were costing the team's captain, chakra as he had to keep redoing the spell that kept the prince asleep."

"I do yes. I'm not sure I did then but I do now and I'm glad Kakashi-sensei over ruled me then" Her head was bowed and her hands were clasped together in front of her. She shifted her weight nervously from one foot to the other. "Sensei? Why do you call him that? He's not a prince."

"Because he acts like he owns this village and that's the behavior of royalty. Now I have things to do. You should go get that vest off before Hokage-sama sees you in it." He turned and walked away before she could say another word to him.

She went home and took off her vest. She emptied the pockets of all of her tools and made room for them in her belt pouch again. Some she'd have to take to carrying on her back in the back pack but she knew this was a punishment she'd long since deserved so she didn't complain. When the vest was empty, she walked out of her apartment and headed back to the tower to turn it in. She knew she could have held on to it and simply put it away in a drawer or the bottom of her closet until she had re-earned the right to wear it but that seemed dishonest somehow. She turned it in at the tower and went off to find her teammates and Sensei.

She found Sasuke-kun at Kakashi-sensei's place and was invited inside. Both men's brows rose when they took note of her missing vest. "Yes I am a genin again. Shisho did not like what Naruto had to say about me, so after reviewing our reports of that disastrous mission, she took my rank. When I relearn what I should have already known I can reapply to have it back but not until then. It's the least I deserve."

"Meh. Don't be so hard on yourself, Sakura. You didn't knowingly leave him alive behind us. And anyway there wasn't anything you could have done. Sasuke would have died if you hadn't have healed him. Sai would have been left behind also had you not spent the last of your chakra to allow him to walk again. Neither of us could have carried both him and Naruto. She'll come around. She's just mad right now because she cares for the boy."

"I reread the reports we filed Sensei. Sai wouldn't even have been injured if I had acted as I should have. I know it is just. And that you lied to Yamato-sensei. Why did you lie to him? If you hadn't, he would have gone back for Naruto. If anyone could have helped him it would have been him." She paused to gather her scattered thoughts again. "But anyway, if I'd used my chakra as I should have I would have healed Yamato-sensei. Yes, some of my chakra would have needed to go to Sasuke-kun but he was not at that time my teammate. Naruto-baka was. And, as the team medic, he should have been my priority. With you, Yamato-Sensei and I all mobile we could have carried all three of them back to the village. If I had done my job correctly, you wouldn't have needed to lie to Yamato-sensei and you wouldn't now be hiding from Tsunade-shisho. But all I could see was Sasuke-kun. I let my feelings for him blind me to everything and everyone else. Shisho was right to take away my rank."

She saw Sasuke nod his head. It hurt that he agreed but not as much as it would have if she'd have still thought Shisho had been wrong. The three stayed up late discussing things about that mission and Sakura ended up telling Kakashi-sensei she thought maybe it might help him to see things more clearly if he went and read all three of the filed reports as she had done. Neither of them seemed all that able to look at Naruto-baka and his achievements in that battle clearly. The reports had helped her. They might help him also.

It was late when Sasuke walked her back to her apartment and went to come inside with her. She stopped him at the door. "I need to think Sasuke-kun. I like you a lot. I've loved you ever since I can remember but I have to wonder whether I love the you I want you to be or the you that you really are. Give me some room and time please." She smiled to take the sting out of her words and he nodded and stepped back. He didn't smile or frown, she noticed. Just stepped away from her door and headed down the street to his own estate and his lonely bed.


	14. Chapter 14

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Chapter Fourteen: Friends Revealed

The next morning the town was buzz with conversation. Everyone wondered when they would see Naruto around and about swinging from the light fixtures again yet somehow everyone doubted that Naruto would ever be back. Those who didn't believe the Nine-tails was in possession of his body believed he'd finally grown up but a lot of them wondered if he harbored enough love for the village to protect it still. After the way the village had always treated him they doubted it would be possible but still they hoped he did. Shikamaru found himself among that number as he sat in the Shogi parlor playing his favorite game with Asuma, his old sensei.

Hinata made her way to the tower to report her findings from her scan of the night before. She had found it very hard to sleep when she had finally gotten home and her father had held and comforted her for hours over the change she'd seen in her favorite villager. She knocked on the door to Tsunade's office and was told to enter. She pushed the door open and walked inside, closing it behind her.

"Hokage-sama. You asked me to scan Naruto-kun's coils and to observe his seal if it was at all possible. His seal has been changed. It isn't a big change but it is different. What I can say is that except for healing Kyuubi can no longer do anything to Naruto-kun. Not even when he is fighting an opponent can Kyuubi overpower Naruto-kun's will. Naruto-kun's coils appear to be healthy and he has absorbed most of the red chakra. He doesn't appear to be absorbing it anymore though. Rather it is constantly swirling around in his body in almost a circle. It almost looks as if the red chakra is being used to keep his organs functioning the way they are supposed to and as long as that chakra holds out Naruto will live. There was evidence of old injuries that Kyuubi had struggled to heal. Multiple scar-like defects showed in my scan but I don't know how old those injuries are or what necessarily caused them."

"If you had to guess Hinata, how old would you place them at? And how do you know they are evidence of past injuries?"

"When I look into Naruto-kun's pathways I can see everything about him. Every time we take an injury we receive a mark. Even though most scars are too small to be seen, they are there none-the-less. If you cut your finger a scar is left behind. You might need a microscope to see it but that doesn't mean it isn't there. This true also of the inside of our bodies. And when Naruto-kun loses control over Kyuubi it hurts him for it. The village doesn't understand why Naruto-kun won't let go but I do. He doesn't like pain any more than the rest of us do. Anyway, when Kyuubi takes over, the more tails he has, the more damage he does. At six tails Naruto-kun is lucky to survive. At seven I doubt he would. Even as fast as Kyuubi can channel his chakra to heal him Naruto-kun would die even faster." She paused for breath. A lot of what she had just said Tsunade already knew but she had said it so that Tsunade would see that she understood the symbiosis between boy and demon.

"Now when I looked at him last night I could see old marks that resembled scars from repeated injuries to the same organs and tissues. Those scars, if you will, appear to be of about the same age and duration. If I had to venture a guess I would say, from the scarring, he would have died about six years ago had Kyuubi not interfered. When I scanned his head I saw evidence of a deep and lasting coma. I know Naruto-kun has never been in a coma here in the village but this coma was noticeable because of it's depth and how long it lasted. He was in such a near death state I'm surprised no one noticed it and it lasted for about a year. Therefore, I have to conclude that Naruto-kun entered this coma during that battle."

"So that's how he did it. Smart Kyuubi. Very smart," Tsunade muttered. Hinata just gave her a puzzled look and waited for an explanation. "I don't know if he'll consent to more visits from you Hinata but I promise I will try. As you saw for yourself he is not exactly the same person he was back then. Please keep this information to yourself. About the seal at least."

"I already told my father. I was so upset by the changes in him that I had to talk to someone and Father was waiting for me."

"That's ok. Your Father hasn't been an enemy of Gaki's ever since you forced him to see the lonely little boy he really was. Please tell him I ask that he not tell anyone about the seal though. Let's make it official." She grinned and Hinata shyly smiled back.

After Hinata left Iruka came in to report on his visit with Naruto. He had also found the boy to be radically different from before but he said nearly being killed in a battle you had no chance of winning and then being cast-off by your comrades will do that to a person. Iruka asked, "Are you gonna do something about those that left him behind like that?"

"It's already in the works. Sakura is a genin once more so don't let her try to pull rank on you. You out rank her now. She will stay a genin until I feel she has learned her lesson but she will still have the work of a chunnin if I think it's something that won't endanger my good nins."

Iruka nodded and said, "Naruto has no doubt in his mind that Kakashi-sensei and his teammates had willingly left him behind on the battlefield not knowing or caring whether he was alive or dead. And he had explained he was dead so he had just crawled off to find a secluded spot and wait for Kyuubi to realize it so they could move on. If he'd given me even the slightest doubt about the issue I would have not been . . . as insistent, I guess. But he knew what he was saying and meant every word of it. He said he laid inside that cave just watching the seasons turn as he waited for Kyuubi to give up but the damn fox didn't. Eventually people found him. Some tried to rob him but he had nothing to steal and they quickly left him alone. Others were from here and tried to talk to him but he couldn't understand them. He was out of touch with words by then and didn't know what they were saying. Some came from other places too and some of them seemed to know him while others recognized what he was and ran as fast as they could. He talked about a red-headed guy who came fairly regularly with two others but although he felt he should have known them he can't remember who they are. It's like all his memories are jumbled. He recognizes someone but he can't place where he knows them from, whether he liked them or not or anything." He sighed and said, "I stuck by him before and I'll stick by him now. By Kami, he needs to be able to fully trust someone to be there when everything goes to the lowest level of hell in a handbasket."

Tsunade raised her eyebrows at the expression but couldn't help agreeing. He did need to know there was someone he could fully trust. She decided to tell him about Kami sending him back to Konoha and the visit from her while he was here. Iruka's eyes nearly popped out of his head. She also told him about Naruto's reactions to Sakura and how anytime he was out with him if they saw her to get Naruto away as fast as he could since it seemed Naruto fully understood what she'd done to him. Then she reminded him about the punishment she'd given Sakura over the incident. Iruka looked grimly satisfied with her justice.

"But what about One-eye? What are you going to do with him? He knowingly allowed this situation to develop in the first place and then knowing, he needed help he walked away turning his back on one of his charges. Sakura may not have checked to see whether he needed help but she at least can claim that she truly might have thought he could follow them. But Kakashi has no such claim. He watched Naruto fighting. He knew he was hurt."

"And then lied to me about the situation when I came to. I went back and reread my report of the incident cause I couldn't believe I would have taken the chance that Kyuubi had broken free without trying to make sure the Demon was dead." Yamato came into the office and set the old report on Tsunade's desk. He pointed to the section where Kakashi had informed him that Naruto was covering their retreat to make sure they weren't followed as they got everyone back to safety. "He knew Naruto wasn't dead but he just left him behind."

Tsunade reread the sentence and wondered what Kakashi had told her that she hadn't even sent the team Yamato had recommended. Then she remembered that she had been busy at the hospital at the time. The village had suffered an outbreak that had decimated their town for a few years. Young and old alike were stricken and it was all she could do to get a handle on the disease. By the time it was under control several months had gone by and so she had given the order to be on the lookout for him but didn't send a rescue team figuring he would have been long dead or captured by then.

"Well, guys I honestly don't know what I could do that would make any impression on Kakashi but if you think of something let me know. He definitely shouldn't get away with this or he'll do it again and next time his victim won't have a demon looking out for him. Yeah you heard that right. Apparently Kyuubi protected Naruto by sending him into a deep coma and then kept healing his body until he came out of it on his own. Kyuubi took care of him until Kami came and sent him back here. Even when he got here the Demon had to take care of him because the guards didn't tell anyone about him. He spent a year living in the woods outside our gates eating nuts and berries the animals brought for him."

"Well, he did look pretty scruffy. Not sure I would have let him in either," said Yamato.

"He came to the gate everyday at the same time and in the same place. Rain or shine. You'd think after a while one of the bright bulbs would have at least mentioned the strange guy in orange tatters with big blue eyes and stringy blond hair."

"Every day? For a year?" exclaimed Iruka. "And noone mentioned him? At all?"

"Not a single word. I've combed through the watch reports and not once was the strange vagabond mentioned. Kakashi recognized the remains of his suit when he passed too close to the gate and saw him walking up. He followed him when the guard turned him away. Funny thing is you'd have thought the guards would have noticed he left no footprints behind no matter what the weather conditions were." Tsunade shook her head. Gate duty was boring but usually anything that broke up the normal routine would get mentioned and someone who walked on the ground without leaving prints was obviously a ninja. That this one was dressed in tatters should have raised all kind of flags over the village.

"No one?" repeated Iruka.

Shizune came in with a stack of mission reports and handed her a report from Sand village. She excused Iruka and Yamato before breaking the seal. Gaara informed her that he had heard that Naruto might be leaving his cave soon and heading home. He and his siblings would like to come for a visit if it might be convenient. She dashed off a reply telling him of course it would be ok but as Naruto was already home to please stop by to see her before trying to see him. Though she suspected he already knew, she told him there were changes in his friend he needed to be prepared for before seeing him. She wished him safe travel and sent the message off by messenger bird.

She sent for Shikamaru knowing he'd want to have a heads up to Temari being in the village before she actually got here. Tsunade understood the complicated relationship between the Sand kunoichi and her jounin. She knew just how hard it was for a high ranking kunoichi to find someone who wasn't using her and she understood why the girl was attracted to the laziest ninja to ever pass out of an academy. She also thought that Shikamaru returned the girl's affections but would never hurt her or compromise his village. He gave her the only real laugh she'd had all day when he greeted the info with, "Troublesome. How very troublesome."

She was still chuckling hours later when all the mission reports were finally categorized and labeled. She handed them off to Shizune and they both watched stunned as another stack magically appeared on her desk. She pulled a sheet off the top of the stack and exclaimed, "What the Ell? I already filed this report." She grabbed the next one and again she recognized that mission also. She had Shizune close the door and spread the papers out on the floor in order. Then they went through the stack that had appeared on her desk. Every single paper was a repeat of a report in the pile she had just finished. As soon as the last paper was off her desk another stack showed up.

Now she was getting a crafty look in her eye. "Someone is going to pay," she said as she removed the entire stack. She set it on the floor and watched as a new copy appeared. She sent Shizune out snooping. As soon as she was gone she removed that stack and watched as the fifth copy took it's place. "No wonder the desk is never clear of paperwork." She removed that stack also and was just about to send it up in flames when Shizune came back and told her where it was coming from. Tsunade sent a jutsu racing back across the chakra lines and a whole bunch of smoke came pouring out of the records room as well as the accounting office. Several workers came choking into the main hallways to be confronted by a smirking Hokage and her assistant. "Don't ever do that to me again or next time it won't be just smoke bombs I send. You'll go home stinking like you've wallowed with the pigs and with clown hair to boot. Am I clear?" Several heads bobbed as best they could while still trying to clean the smoke from their lungs. Sometimes it paid to know pranksters.


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer: Still don't own Naruto or any of the other characters. Kishimoto says he wouldn't consider selling his toons to me until I learn to treat them better. Some nonsense about me always killing the Banshee girl off and being too mean to the bloodline brat.**

Chapter Fifteen: Kakashi Gets His Due

Over the following days Tsunade entertained several ideas as to how to suitably punish her errant Jounin. What he had done was so much worse than what Sakura had done for several different reasons not the least of which was his actions had violated his own code. The code she had assumed would keep Naruto safe.

She held several meetings with different people taking all sorts of suggestions as to suitable punishments. She had heard suggestions of having him spend a month training with Gai wearing the same outfit as Gai to cleaning up after Konohamaru's pranks to doing D and E rank only missions. Several of the suggestors wanted to have free reign to prank him but she didn't want him too injured to be used on missions or too messed up to properly represent the village should he be needed to do a mission in another village. Everyone agreed they couldn't afford to demote him but she definitely wanted him to know he was gonna shape up.

She finally hit upon a set of ideas she liked. Before calling him in she called in her best form of punishment. Amidst the constant interruption of evil chuckles she finally got her plan for the one-eye deviant explained. She handed over a sheet where some of Naruto's more infamous pranks were detailed along with a list of villagers who had caused the boy the most painful of injuries and grief during his lifetime. "I want to make sure that all these people suffer some sort of discomfort and have to see ole Scumbucket cleaning it up," she said to her accomplice. An evil grin with twinkling eyes was all the answer she needed. "Make sure no one dies but you're free to do whatever you deem necessary to insure my will." After the plan was detailed the administrator of her plan poofed away to go set things in motion. Tsunade waited while she watched out her office window for the sign that things were ready.

Around the village pranksters were being spoken to and several bits of mayhem were being enacted. Kakashi's house was targeted by the Konhamaru Corp who were old hands at pranking thanks to instructions taught by a much younger and happier Naruto. Several shop owners who were known to have hurt Naruto on more than one occassion and to have celebrated the loudest when his demise was announced were also targeted. No one caught any of the pranksters but bright neon colors suddenly adorned sedate businesses and homes. Tenderly cared for plants, bushes and trees were newly decorated with toilet paper and confetti. In the parks benches where villagers would sit to watch the wildlife or children at play were suddenly unuseable being covered with foul smelling food stuff or worse. Ponds were clogged with trash and debris as the pranksters of Konoha turned their iminaginations free. And the orchestrators of it all were the infamous Konohamaru Corp who oversaw each and every prank to make sure no one got seriosly injured, though from the screams coming from several upscale homes you'd have thought there were lots of murders taking place.

Konohamaru reported each prank back to his boss and got further instructions on what else needed to be done before the Hokage's plan could be set in motion. He and his own friends undertook the defacing of the Hokage Monument. This was a mission they all knew they would remember fondly for the rest of their lives and though they would have been happy enough just to be given the permission to prank the village on this scale, the thought that they were doing this to get revenge for their personal hero just made the mission all the sweeter.

When she saw the flare in the sky, signalling the plan was in motion,she finally called Kakashi into her office and explained what she knew of his behavior towards Naruto from the day he'd been assigned to Team Seven until the day he'd left the boy behind on a mission. She told him, "It'd be different if he hadn't been who he is. But housing the Nine-tailed Fox the way he does, you knew full well that there was an excellent chance that he was still alive. Even if he hadn't been you saw the form he was in and yet you left the Nine-tails free to rampage the world. That can not be allowed to go unpunished so I have finally found something I think you will absolutely love." She grinned.

Kakashi gulped envisioning himself being used as a ball again while she and her old teammate played with him. " While I can not treat you as I would wish to I can and will make you wish I had. Though you will retain your rank and status no one will listen to you or take your orders until I say otherwise again. Not even the students at the academy will be obligated to show you honor or respect. That is for those who have honor to begin with."

"Furthermore, I am assigning Anko to be with you everywhere you go. She will make sure you do not try to intimidate anyone into being respectful to you. Every time you are late for something, even if it is only by five minutes, she will choose an appropriate punishment for you. Nor will you be allowed to read your books in front of minors anymore. If she catches you reading it where minors are gathered, she will punish you. You may not read it in front of any woman who objects to it either. Again if she catches you, you will be punished. For the final restriction, you are prohibited from any contact with team seven. Either the original team or the replacement members. If Anko sees you in contact with them, she will punish you. Is that clear?"

"But Sasuke is my student. How am I supposed to teach him without contact? And Sakura. Who is to teach her now that you have told her you will no longer instruct her? My students need me." She noticed he didn't mention either Sai or Naruto and that almost made her angry enough to punch his head through her office wall but she restrained herself.

"No they don't. From what I have learned this past couple of days they could only have learned dishonorable things from one such as you. You broke your own code so how could impressionable young people learn anything useful from you? They need to learn true teamwork and they won't learn it from you. I have other plans for them." Actually she had absolutely nothing planned for the Uchiha punk as she thought of the arrogant little prick but he didn't have to know that. She paused to regain her former thought process and then continued as Kakashi gulped but nodded glumly.

"Finally, to keep you busy here in the village, I have compiled a list of things I wish to have done. Anko also has a copy of the list so don't think you can cheat. You will do them. Alone."

He sighed and took the list from her hand. His eye widened. Clean the Hokage Monument. Ok that was done yearly. But sanding the wall! Where did she ever come up with that one? After that he was to white wash and clean the Hot Springs and then do the landscaping of the village greenways and parks as well as fix up homes and businesses that had been damaged due to pranks. Once he was done with that he saw he was supposed to re-carve all the weather-beaten tombstones in the graveyard so the names and inscriptions could be read again. Given some of the things he'd seen on his way to the tower, he knew this was gonna take a long time to complete. A very long time he thought as he squeaked, "Alone? It'll take me years."

"It took Naruto years to recover. He was your student too. But he was no Uchiha so you didn't care. You threw him away like he was trash but we both know who was the real piece of trash, don't we." Kakashi gulped again. He'd forgotten just how strongly she cared for his unwanted student. "You told them those who don't follow the rules are trash but those who abandon their comrades are scum. By your own rule you are scum. So tell me, Hatake, why should I care if your punishment drags on for years?"

"What about missions?" Missions were the lifeblood of a ninja. The money they got from missions made it possible for them to stay alive and have down time to rest and recover from the strenuous job of killing people and stealing information from other villages. With this list of tasks to complete he seriously didn't see how he would have any time for doing any missions whatsoever and somehow he just knew he wouldn't be paid for doing anything on this list.

"You'll still have missions to do. Anko will go with you on your missions to make sure you obey the terms of your punishment. This list will be done in addition to missions. And I will make sure that your missions are appropriate for one of your standing." Somehow he didn't like the sound of that. Kakashi walked solemnly out of the office. Her last statement before dismissing him probably meant D and E rank missions more than likely. Oh God! That meant he might actually have to go and capture the cat from Hell's Back Gate. Kami save him! He almost cried at the thought. Not even Anko could measure up to the torture of that cat. No matter how much he had drunk the other night, it wasn't enough. He was definitely too sober for this. He wondered if he had time to reach the bar and get drunk before this nightmare began.

"One more thing Kakashi. No more drinking to excess. I have a copy of the bill you ran up the other night and you are paying it. That's not a job related injury," yelled Tsunade, after his retreating form.

He rolled his eye and his chin quivered under his mask. He wasn't going to cry. He was a man. He would make it through this. How could Naruto do this to him? He had watched over the boy while he was growing up. He'd saved his life more times than he could count over the years. Sure he'd let the villagers beat on him but he'd saved him from being killed too. Didn't that count for anything to that boy? This couldn't be happening to him. He was Kakashi. The one and only Copy-cat Nin. Man of a thousand jutsu's and Son of the White Fang. He was important.

Not even noticing when a shadow joined him, he just about jumped out of his skin when a sultry voice whispered, "I'll be sticking to you like glue now." A fingernail dragged over the gooseflesh on his arm. "We're going to get to know each other very well and you'd better hope I form a better image of you than I have now. I always did like that Gaki and you will pay for what you did to him." He looked at Anko out of the corner of his eye. "Either that or you'd better have a hidden fondness for my little pets." If he hadn't been pasty white before, he was now, as sweat beaded on his forehead. The paper in his hand began to shake as a small green snake poked it's head from her sleeve and she laughed. "Good I see you understand your position, Maggot." He could actually feel his butt cheeks clench as she grabbed his shirt collar and led him out of the tower. Though he was whimpering like a misbehaving genin she didn't waste any time as she led him back to his house to change his outfit. She let him keep his mask but other than that he was stripped of all his rank insignia. He wore tight black leather looking plastic pants and heeled pointy toed shoes. She even confiscated his headband though she did hand him an eye patch with which to cover his chakra draining sharigan. She didn't want anyone to mistake him for an honorable nin.

By evening he was hanging suspended by a rope seat scrubbing the face of the first Hokage. Tears had rolled down his face when she had led him to the monument and he'd gotten a glimpse of it for the first time. It looked even worse than it had when Naruto had decorated it all those years ago. To keep him working, a huge snake was wound around the rope dangling just over his head as he scrubbed. He wondered if this was the Manda he'd heard about from Naruto after he'd gone to find and retrieve Tsunade for the position of Hokage. If it was he took back the disbelief he'd greeted the tale with when Naruto had told them about the three way confrontation between the Sannins. Of course Naruto had painted himself as having had a major role in the fight, supposedly slamming a poorly formed Rasengan into Kabuto's stomach before being knocked out and nearly killed. He'd actually claimed it was by saving his life that Tsunade-sama had overcome her fear and hate enough to come lead the village. Of course he hadn't believe the boy. But now looking up into this snake's face he couldn't help but wonder.

Sasuke tried to go by Kakashi apartment only to be refused entrance by Anko who informed him that contact between the two was now restricted. "What does that mean?" asked Sasuke.

"It means the Hokage has forbidden that comrade leaving scum to have contact with good ninja of this village and that includes you for some strange reason."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow but said nothing else for a minute. "Well, can you give him a message for me then?"

Anko nodded, curious to hear just what the relationship was between the two. Lots of rumors had been going around about the two and that pink-haired floosey they called a teammate.

"Tell him that I plan to follow the Sand Trio to find where she stashed him. Then I will find out what's going on. She can't hide him forever."

Anko's eyes narrowed dangerously. So this little prick thought he could do as he pleased and force the Hokage's hand did he? Well, if he was lucky enough to find Naruto it would be his last mistake. Even if Naruto let him survive it, she wouldn't.

"You would be well advised to lay off until the Hokage tells you he wishes to see you, Wormboy. You tread on dangerous ground."

"I don't take advice from you and no one has the authority to keep me from seeing whoever I wish. I am the last Uchiha. I can do as I please." Sasuke turned around and sauntered off as if he didn't have a care in the world. What was everyone's problem anyway? He wasn't the one that had left him behind. He'd actually tried to go back for the Dobe. Kakashi wouldn't let him. And besides if anyone in this stupid village understood that Dobe it was him. They had a common background after all. Both of them knew loneliness up close and personal.

Anko watched him saunter away, struggling to control her natural instinct to hurt traitorous little wanna-be snots and then went back inside. She whispered, "It's your funeral," as she sent a black-eyed glare in the direction the punk had gone. Maggot was still washing the monument as she fixed some food and drinks for them. She planned to keep him at it until full moonrise before she'd let him get some sleep. She grabbed the basket and trudged back up the stairs to the top of the first Hokage's head.

"You had a visitor," she called out. Kakashi looked up but didn't stop cleaning. "The traitor came by. He left a message for you. What's your problem anyway? I thought you actually liked that boy."

"I liked all my students," he muttered. "I'm just not blind to what and who they are."

"Sure you did. Well, you must not like that one very much, not that I can honestly say I blame you after what he did. But if he's still looking for Naruto-kun, then it's pretty clear you don't like him any more than you do Naruto." She ignored his glare as she continued, "He said to tell you he plans to follow the Sand Trio to where Naruto-kun is and then he'll find out what's going on. Why would you encourage him to disobey the Hokage? She told him to back off. Why would you tell him to go behind her back like that? And don't even try to convince me you liked Naruto-kun. No one who actually likes the boy could have left him behind like you did."

"I do like Sasuke but no one can tell him what to do. He does as he chooses because he has the power to make people get out of his way. I did not encourage him to go behind the Hokage's back. I told him to wait. That when Naruto remembers him better he'll be able to see him but he doesn't want to wait."

"Why?" At least he didn't try to lie to her about liking Naruto-kun.

"He thinks he and Naruto have a bond of some sort that time can not break. He thinks because he didn't kill him at the Valley of the End and sees him as a brother that Naruto see him the same way. I tried to tell him that Naruto isn't here right now but . . . can you blame him for not believing me? After all I did make sure no one went back there after him."

Anko looked down. "Why, Kakashi? I never thought that you of all people would turn your back on him. It was your own nindo."

"He transformed, Anko. He wasn't Naruto anymore. I was too depleted to fight the Demon. My team was injured or unconscious and Sakura wouldn't have fought him no matter how much she might belittle him. She wouldn't have seriously fought to kill the demon. I did what I thought was best for our survival. All of us who ever worked with Naruto knew the day might come when we would have to kill him or leave him behind and run for our lives."

Anko grew angry. "That's bullshit. You knew he was still in there. You knew if the demon had been in control he'd have rampaged and at least tried to kill everyone there. He let you walk off without trying to stop you. Therefore it was Naruto you abandoned. Not Kyuubi. But worse than that, you abandoned him long before he transformed. I've heard the details, One-Eye. You set him up to fight a battle you knew damn well he couldn't win without transforming and maybe not even then. I want to know why. He is your Sensei's son and this is how you repay the man who taught you. Who comforted you. Who helped you deal with your own loss."

Kakashi stopped scrubbing and let his hands fall to his lap where he was swaying in the rope chair. He closed his eye as he whispered, "You weren't there, Anko. You didn't see him. You don't know. Yamato was our only chance but Sakura, after she used all her chakra to reach and then heal Sasuke, couldn't revive him. So we did the only thing we could. We left. If he'd regained control, I left a trail for him. I kept watching for him but he never came. I figured the number of tails had killed his body. I didn't know he thought I'd meant to leave him behind."

"He said you had orders. He didn't seem to think he'd misunderstood."

"He wouldn't think he'd misunderstood, would he? Yeah I had orders to do that but I never planned to listen to them. I always got orders to get rid of him. Every time the team went out, someone would pull me aside and tell me to make sure he didn't come back. But I always brought them all home again." Maybe, just maybe, there was a way he could turn this situation to his advantage. If he could convince her he was just following his orders than maybe he had a chance of being done with this punishment in the not too distant future. "He was getting more and more unstable. His transformations were happening more and more often with less and less provacation and it was taking longer and longer for him to transform back. Each time he changed we'd wonder if he could come back this time. We took more and more injuries trying to slap that seal on him so yeah I had orders to make sure he died. If you want the truth that's the only thing I didn't do. I didn't make sure he was really dead because I could do that to him. If he had a chance to come home I wanted him to do so." Every word he said was just slightly true but mostly exaggeration. Everyone who'd ever gone, as team leader, on a mission with Naruto surely would have gotten the same order. After all, Danzo couldn't truly believe he was the only one weak enough to leave the boy behind.

But then, he'd thought about what Yamato had said to him the first time they'd gone on a courier mission together. "I know of the order from the council. Don't think to leave the boy behind this time. He is needed later for the retrieval mission because surely you know he is the key to the Snakeboy's return. No rescue mission has a snowballs chance in a volcano if he is not with us." Obviously Yamato not only knew about Danzo's orders, he had also gotten it and ignored it. Maybe he could get Yamato to back him up. He knew there was no written proof of those orders but maybe if Yamato would back him on how many times he'd been ordered to abandon the boy and hadn't he'd be let off this punishment. After all, Danzo had been giving the order to him for years before he had finally left the boy behind. He finished the sandwich she had prepared for him and she motioned for him to get back to work.

After several more hours worth of scrubbing, when all his muscles were protesting and his butt had fallen asleep from the ropes of the make-shift chair he was in, Anko motioned for him to gather his things. She had noticed the chakra he was utilizing to keep the bucket where he needed it was starting to wobble and knew he was reaching the end of his strength. Though she personally thought he should have been able to stay at it for a couple more hours the moon was rising high overhead now. So she shrugged and led them back to his apartment where she sent him straight to bed for an early six am wake-up call. She didn't believe a word he'd said about why he'd left the boy behind but working with him would be a hell of a lot easier if the foolish man thought he could convince her to side with him. She had too deep an understanding of what Naruto's life had been like to just willing believe a spoilt jounin like Kakashi. And it was that deep understanding along with her sadistic nature that had led Tsunade-sama to choose her to be the administrator of his punishment. She planned to make sure that every tear Naruto-kun had shed, every insult he'd suffered, every thought of worthlessness he'd had, his Sensei paid for in blood, sweat and tears of his own.

While he slept she planned his wake-up. She outlined a devious plan for the next day that would have the Copy-nin cursing her name loud and clear before the first hour was over. Then she summoned her favorite snake and asked it to keep the pervert company while she slept. After all she needed rest also.


	16. Chapter 16

**Disclaimer: Ok so I know the last chapter did not endear me to Kishimoto so you know of course that I still do not own Naruto. Sometimes I think that guy just babies his toons too much. Sheesh. However this story idea, which is getting incredibly hard to write, is all mine.**

**Hubby: Yeah you sure make your readers wait for each chapter update.**

**Disclaimer: Hush you. I don't see you sitting here trying to tie up all the little red threads of that nasty little plot bunny. What I want to know is why is that damn bunny pink haired?**

**Hubby: shutting up now . . . **

**Disclaimer: (purrs) Gooood Hubby. **

Chapter Sixteen: The Reason for It All

Naruto was getting better. He was talking more now and using fuller sentences again as he remembered more and more words. Iruka came by everyday and brought books and scrolls with him. He patiently re-taught Naruto everything that had once been second nature to him. Together they would walk in the woods and he got to see nature through Naruto's eyes. He marveled at the beauty he saw there and the peace he could find in the dappled shadows of the forest. He was amazed when the animals walked right up to him and Naruto always had some food for them. Birds would settle on his shoulders and quietly trill in his ear. Squirrels would run down trees to his height to chatter at him until he gave them a nut or a berry. Deer walked right up to him and accepted his scratches as they ate from his hand. Even animals known for aggressiveness were gentle around Naruto.

At the end of the day Iruka would meet the rest of the rookie nine plus three and tell them all how Naruto was progressing. He would listen as Kiba ranted about how unfair it was that he was being kept away and Lee bemoaned his inability to help his friend regain his lost youthfulness. Ino and Sakura both thought they should also be allowed to see him. Sakura, of course, only wanted to chew him out for being gone and making everyone worry while Ino wanted to see him and let him know she was glad he hadn't actually been dead as the reports had said he was. Everyone of the group had a reason why they felt they should be allowed to see Naruto though most kept their reason to themselves. Only Hinata knew he was telling them the absolute truth.

Hinata also came by the cabin on a regular basis. Naruto never sent her away. Instead he would just sit and listen as she talked about the village and the people he had once called friends. He had no desire to see them again so she didn't push it. She knew why even if they didn't. They had been willing to shut their eyes to the real him and he had no use for them now that he'd forgotten how to pretend. She didn't miss the loud boisterous boy she knew they wanted him to be. She liked the boy he was now. She liked the quiet and peace she felt around him now. Sometimes he would watch her practice and offer advice. She always listened. She found when she tried to do as he'd suggested she improved.

Gaara and his siblings were also frequent visitors to the cabin at the edge of the woods. Naruto knew exactly who they were and had known the minute they had entered the village. He had told Tsunade to tell them to come visit since they alone had started looking for Naruto as soon as they'd heard he hadn't returned from the mission to retrieve the traitor. They knew full well the power of his demon and there was no way they would believe he was dead until they saw proof of his body themselves. It had taken them a year and a half but they had found him due to Shakaku's ability to sense when he was near another bijuu and which bijuu was nearby.

Over the last four and a half years they had been frequent visitors to him in the cave. No one had checked up on him like they did. Every few months Gaara had found a reason to visit the cave and taken his siblings with him. They'd seen just how far gone he'd been and though they kept going he never seemed to improve. They had always brought blankets, after they had found him shivering in the cave with nothing, and food but every time they came the stuff they'd brought was gone so they knew others had found him also. They tried to protect the cave but still the things they brought were gone when they came again. It was clear others found him in between their visits. They had tried on more than one occassion to get him to accompany them back to Suna but he didn't appear to hear them and every attempt to make him leave the cave met with failure. He would just vanish from the cacoon of sand Gaara wrapped him in and show up back in his spot in the cave. After awhile they had given up and just tried to make sure he had supplies to stay alive. They didn't know he wasn't alive from the day he'd crawled inside the cave so long ago. Nor did they know of the deal being forged between Kyuubi and Kami.

Therefore when they found that he had disappeared from the cave, a couple of months after he had walked back to the gates of Konoha, the Sand trio had followed his trail. What there was of a trail anyway. He hadn't left much to direct them. It hadn't been until the rumors spread that they'd figured out where he had gone. Then they had to fight with their own council before they would agree to allow the visit.

Things had been tense between the Leaf and the Sand since Naruto had disappeared. They were still allies but not as close as they had been. Gaara and his sibs had wanted to sever all ties, knowing Naruto's team and his village had abandoned him, but the sand council had said they couldn't afford to. The council knew the alliance between the two villages had primarily been forged because the two jinchurikii were friends and the alliance allowed them to be able to get together every once in awhile and blow off steam. They also knew the benefit of a small village like Suna being friends with a big village like Konoha so they had reluctantly pointed out that it was only due to their allied state that they had this opportunity to rebuild their ninja base. If they abandoned it over the treatment of a single nin, no matter who it was, they would lose their advantage. They pointed out that it was only the alliance that kept other villages from explointing thier weakened state. When they had rebuilt their base then if he still wanted to sever the alliance they would do so.

So Gaara had backed down but he had never let Tsunade doubt that if it ever happened again not only would he break the agreement, he would destroy her village. He pointed to the close relationship between his sister and that lazy coward of a jounin making his point clear. He was her measuring stick. If the Leaf failed to treat Shikamaru right, they would live just long enough to regret that decision. That was almost six years ago.

Now that Naruto was back, he let Tsunade and her stupid council know the alliance between their two villagers hung on both Naruto and Shikamaru and the treatment they received. He personally wanted to make everyone who had ever even looked at Naruto cross-eyed pay and it was very clear he thought the Leaf Council should head up the line of ignortant villagers who'd outlived their usefulness.

Though Tsunade tried to persuade the council not to, they told him that as soon as Naruto was healthy enough to stand trial he would be tried as a traitor for his six years away. They tried to say that as an outsider not from the Leaf, he had no say in village matters. Koharu had looked down her nose on the young Kazekage, as she informed him, "He is recovering only to be put to death in a manner suitable for betraying his oath of commitment. We as the Council of Elders know what is best for this village and traitors are not welcome."

Gaara was more than a match for her as he stood impassive, to any who didn't know him better, and unmoved. So slowly she hadn't seen a thing, sand covered the council chambers. When it was fully spread out he commanded it to rise and wrap around the legs of her chair. He didn't let the sand wrap around her but the control over it he displayed was enough to have her blanching and blinking her bug-eyes rapidly. Though her mouth was still opening and closing no sound issued from her. When he was sure he had her full attention, he summoned a sand form of Shakaku and let the demon inform her of exactly what he could and would do should she ever again forget who she was dealing with.

"You are just one foolish feeble old woman who thought it was just fine to send a young man on a mission and leave him for dead without knowing or caring whether or not it was true. You knowingly allowed for the possibility of a demon attack on another unsuspecting village. It was and still is your duty to make sure the weapon you created did not go astray but you failed to do your duty. You are very lucky the Kyuubi was not interested in coming back to finish what he started all those years ago or in rampaging the countryside and instead returned custody of my friends mind and body to him after killing his attackers. You are luckier still that another village did not find him before he came back and convince him to switch his loyalty to them in exchange for care you never gave him. But that's exactly what you plan to level against him anyway. You plan to say he sold you out even though you know full well it is untrue. Lying has never been a problem for one as low as you. Do not make that mistake again or next time his loyalty, which you take for granted, may not prove as strong as it did this time. You may find yourselves reaping exactly the crop you sowed. Be warned. My vessels village would love to have him. I would welcome him with open arms as would my vessels siblings and people. Never forget. And by the way, Old One, when you do pass out of this form know you will be joining my realm as prey until you learn to survive there. Don't fret. I'm sure you will have alot of company. Alot of company." The Sand Demon laughed as Gaara recalled his sand and left a stunned council with wet and stinky drawers sitting in open mouthed shock.

He had a small smirk as he went off to see Naruto not knowing or caring what he'd done to the good people of the Leaf Village council. Hiashi was laughing later that evening as he sat with Tsunade, Jiraiya, Hinata, Naruto and Gaara in the cabin's small living room. Gaara was just sitting listening as Hiashi explained about the smell and how funny it was watching as his fellows tried to leave the chambers without anyone realizing how scared they had been. He had of course taken note of every name of every scurrying little rat. As he wiped the moisture from the corners of his eyes he noted the smirks on everyone's face as they picture Koharu needing new clothes and the distance she'd have to have gone to get them.

The old woman lived about as far away from the tower as it was possible to be and still be within the boundaries of the village walls. No way would she consent to live in an area of the village where normal people might interact with her family but likewise, as a former ninja during her younger days, she would not wish to live in an area of the town where she would be without the protection offered by the guards who patrolled the walls. She didn't know or care that most of them hated her guts and would gladly watch her die if not for her position on the council.

Hiashi asked Gaara, "Shakaku told Koharu that when she died she would be sent to the Demon realm where she would be prey until she learn to survive there. Is that true? Is that where some people really end up?"

Gaara shrugged. "Shakaku had said similiar things often enough that I wonder about it myself. I don't really know though. But she'll be having second thoughts now about her plan to end someone else's life and that's what both my Demon and I want."

Everyone nodded as they considered his words. Gaara had calmed down alot from when they had first met the homicidal vessel but they also knew full well that he would not hestitate to kill the entire council if they did not back off of his friend.

"Naruto, you said once that Kami sent you back here for a reason. Can you tell me now what it is?" asked Tsunade, changing the subject to something that had been on her mind since he'd first mentioned it.

"War."

Gaara's interest was peaked. Someone was going to attack Konoha? Who was crazy enough now that the Sound had been demolished?

"Who?" asked Jiraiya.

"Akatsuki leader's boss. When he comes, I will kill him."

"You're saying Kami sent you here to fight the boss of the Akatsuki?" questioned Jiraiya again. "Why here?"

"No. Leader is mortal. He has boss. Boss threatens the world. Fight must happen here. I must win. I don't fight him, world will suffer. I fight him somewhere else, I will lose and world will suffer. I fight here and lose, same thing. I will wait here for him. I will fight him. He will die."

The gathering of friends sat in silence. He'd only come back to fight for the whole dang world. Gee no pressure in that. And yet he sat there as calm and cool as a cucumber acting like it was no big thing. Something that happens every day.

Tsunade said as much and his reply was, "Every fight shapes world . . . events. Past fights shaped this one. This reason . . . for everything. All so I can fight."

"But at least you won't be alone. We will stand with you. We will fight at your side because the Will of Fire burns bright," said Hiashi.

"No. I will fight him. I will win."

"Naruto, you can't stop us from helping you," said Hinata, speaking for the first time.

"Can. Must."

"Why?" asked Tsunade.

"You fight him, you will die. Are mortal. All will be lost."

"But Naruto if death is what is supposed to happen you can't stop it. We would not be who we are if we could stand by and watch as you put your life on the line for all of us without trying to help you," said Jiraiya.

"I am not alone. I have what I need to win." He stretched out a finger and saying one word for each person as he moved the finger around the room. Pointing to Hinata he said, "Love." To Iruka he said, "Courage." To Tsunade, "Trust." And finally to Gaara he said, "Hope."

Hiashi asked, "How long do we have?"

"Will you know him when he comes, Naruto? And what do you mean by those words?" asked Jiraiya.

"He will come when he comes. I will be here when he does. He will come straight for me. He will not want to. He will have no choice. For them, I will fight. For them, I will kill. For them, I will win." As he spoke his finger was pointing out the window at the darkened village.

"Then it looks like we have to protect them for you so they can not be used against you," said Hiashi, still not understanding what Naruto was trying to tell them.

Naruto was getting frustrated. He wasn't getting through to them that this was a world event and not something they had any say in. He was here because he had already passed on as had his opponent. Both had returned for this battle where good would challenge and be challenged by evil once more. The fate of the world would hang in the balance and only when the final blow had been struck would one be vanquished by the other until the next time. He growled and blew air out of his nose as he ran a hand through his shortened locks of hair.

"What is it you aren't telling us Naruto?" asked Gaara, picking up on the frustration.

From where he sat he was suddenly bathed in a shimmering wall of colors so blinding as to appear white. Yet everyone could make out the colors representing each element. He held a sword in one hand and a shield in the other. Over both, the colors swirled and blended together. "I am ready. He will not win so long as I face him." The light dimmed out. Once more he was the young man they knew.

Gaara spoke for the first time. "You are Kami's warrior. The one spoken of in prophecies. Born for this sole reason." He was quiet as he recalled the rest of the myth. "So you really did die on that mission."

Everyone else knew he had said he had died but none of them had truly believed it. Now that Gaara said it outloud they wondered how it was possible for him to be here if he really was already dead.

"What is this "Kami's Warrior" business?" asked Tsunade.

"According to mythology, every thousand years, Kami and Inari have a battle to determine which one will have dominion over this realm. We are the realm of balance in the universe but either god can have dominion over us and still we would maintain the balance. Inari as you know is the God of chaos while Kami is the God of Order. If they were to fight themselves everything would perish but because they are complete opposites fighting is unavoidable for them. So many years ago when we were just coming out of our caves and looking around at our realm they agreed to hold tournaments much like we hold the chunnin exams. Each one chooses a warrior who will represent them and the two battle it out in an agreed upon location. Each has a location where his warrior has a better chance of winning. It seems now is the time of their tournament and Konoha is the location Kami has chosen for her warrior. According to the myth, the warriors were chosen on the day of their conception and they can not avoid their choosing any more than we can choose not to breathe the air." Gaara explained. It was a long statement from him but he felt this was what Naruto wanted them all to understand and he did not have the words to tell them himself.

Naruto nodded, breathing easier now. No one else had anything to say and the very somber group broke up shortly after. Everyone had alot to think about as they made their way home. Hiashi led Hinata home after escorting Tsunade to her door, where Shizune was waiting. Gaara walked back to his hotel where he knew his siblings were waiting for him. He got waylaid by Sasuke wanting to know where the Dobe was staying but Gaara just looked at Sasuke's hand on his arm. All he said was, "Remove it on your own or I will do it for you. Right now I would dearly love to show you my power. You will not find me nearly as easy to get killed as you did him."

Sasuke let him go. "I know she gave you permission to see him so tell me where he is. I demand you tell me so I can go see him also."

Gaara walked away saying nothing. Sasuke screamed after him that he would find the Dobe one day. Of the two, only Gaara knew how big of a mistake that would be. Because even if Naruto allowed him to live, Gaara wouldn't.

**Author Note: Ok I know two chapters in one day is not what you all are used to but this chapter was easier to write where the last chapter took forever. So many of you wanted to know what I planned to do to Kakashi that I had to make sure it was as near to perfection as I could get and still leave my second favorite character alive and in one piece. Hope it was worth the wait and remember "Be Kind and Review" I live by those reviews if I miss one of the red threads that damn pink plot bunny keeps dropping all over the place. (walks off muttering about plot bunnies resembling Banshee Demon Queens)**


	17. Chapter 17

**Disclaimer: I still don't own anything of value which of course includes the chars in this story. They all belong to Kishimoto-san who also owns the world of Konoha. So I have to get by without a maid or a personal cook to clean my kitchen up for me.**

**Hubby: Now you want a cook too. Man, it was bad enough when you only wanted a maid or two.**

**Disclaimer: Stop complaining unless you want to walk into the kitchen and see the mess those Brats you call tax write-offs left for you to clean up.**

**Hubby: . . . Uh. . . I think I'll pass.**

**Disclaimer: Smart man. I knew there was a reason I married you.**

Chapter Seventeen: Team Seven Remnants

Sakura was doing genin level work and she hated it but she knew she deserved it so she kept her complaints to herself as she weeded the old woman's garden for her. She missed Naruto's clones that had made boring jobs like this go so much faster but it was her own fault. She had heard the Sand Trio were in town but wasn't too surprised that no one had made an effort to invite her to a get-together with them. They were very fond of Naruto and with what she'd just learned about herself, they couldn't be that crazy about her right now. She remembered how she'd seen Naruto in the tower. First under the window looking like a wild man and then in the window beside Jiraiya-sama. He'd been groomed that time but his eyes had caught her attention both times. She hadn't thought about what she'd seen in them but they'd stayed with her. His eyes had been so peaceful that first time but so empty. She'd seen nothing of the Naruto she knew in there. Shishui had warned her to stay away from him but she hadn't listened. She really had been full of herself. So sure she was the only one who could help him. So sure all he needed was direction from her. What a joke! She thought back to the tower meeting where she'd boasted her skills and being better, stronger than Naruto. Now she knew the only reason she'd done that was to impress Sasuke but he hadn't been impressed because he knew it wasn't true. Sasuke didn't like lies. She remembered him laughing at her when she'd asked him what had to be the stupidest question of the age. She groaned in mortification. Tugging on a stubborn weed she noticed the old woman coming out with a glass and a pitcher of lemonade.

"Dearie, you have been working hard and I thought you might like to refresh yourself a little," she said. "Come sit in the shade and share a drink with me." The woman led her over to a small table under the spreading branches of an old apple tree.

Sakura gave the woman a gentle smile before accepting the glass of slightly tart juice. She sighed as she sat back trying not to get lost in her thoughts again. Tsunade's Aunt, several times removed, just watched. She knew why the girl was weeding her garden. After all, she had used her bloodline talent and small amount of chakra to make the weeds grow just so the girl would have a job to do. The Hokage had felt it wasn't right for her apprentice to take jobs away from deserving genins because she was being punished and she agreed. So they had cooked this plot up. The girl would find herself trimming hedges and weeding and mowing and picking and anything else the two of them could come up with until she'd finally learned.

Now she just said, "Want to talk about it? Seems you have a problem on your mind."

Sakura shook her head. "It's something I need to work out on my own. I managed to mess things up pretty well all by myself so I should find my own way out."

The old woman cackled and said, "Ah to be young again. The young always think they have to do everything alone but although messes are easy to make, atoning for them isn't so easy."

Sakura smiled. "I know." She held out a hand towards the garden and the other towards her missing vest. "But I will do it because I deserve it. I know that I have messed up and I know how. Now I must just find a way to make amends. Doing these chores will help me remember what I used to know but they won't make what I did right. Nothing will be enough to do that."

"Maybe. Maybe not. Why don't you tell me what you did and we'll see?"

"I hurt someone. Very badly. He never did anything to ever hurt me but I was always hurting him until finally I went too far. I may never get the chance to set things right with him. I know I don't deserve to but . . . I can't help but want to try."

The old woman nodded and they finished their drinks in silence. As she rose to go back inside she said, "Sometime we don't realize what we had until it is gone. Someone else has it and we can't get it back."

Softly Sakura whispered, "I know. I guess I just never realized how much I had changed into the very monster he was always being accused of being. I don't like this person I've become. Somehow I have to change back to who I was before." She didn't specify even in the sanctuary of her own mind just when before was as she stood up and began the tedious job of pulling the tenacious weeds from their positions of entangling and strangling the tender roots of common vegetables.

Across town Sasuke was trying to find out where Naruto was staying and having no luck. He'd trailed after the Sand Trio figuring one of them would lead him there but they must have seen his bushins because Temari took him on a round-a-bout trip to the field where Shikamaru was cloud watching with his best friend Chouji. Kankuro had led him around the marketplace for hours before heading back to their hotel room clutching his stupid puppet parts. And Gaara just turned around on a side street and crushed the bushin he'd had trailing him. Then he'd vanished before Sasuke could get to his location. So now he was randomly wandering around hoping to catch a glimpse of bright red or yellow hair.

Fan-girls had pretty much disappeared for him but there were still a few die-hards he had to deal with. In a strange way seeing them was reassuring but that didn't mean he liked them. He'd considered using that joke card Naruto had given him when he turned twelve to dissuade them but tempting as it was, he might just need one of them someday. The card claimed the owner was gay and he'd thought of leaving it laying, oh so accidently, right side up near a street facing window. But if he ever broke up with Sakura, or if she didn't get pregnant soon, then he might find it hard getting rid of the label. He frowned as he saw a fan-girl on a corner ahead obviously looking for him. He immediately turned and walked away never knowing just how close he'd come to finding his target.

Behind him the supposed fan-girl smirked and poofed into an anbu guard. Her whole job in being on that corner was to prevent him from finding his target. She reported his presence to her fellows and they all went on high alert. They wouldn't let Naruto know about it but they would make sure his caregivers knew the Kazekage had been trailed.

Sasuke meanwhile followed a trail into the forest and went to find a clearing where he could vent his rage and disappointment on the harmless trees and rocks. Half an hour later the clearing was destroyed.

Why wouldn't the Dobe want to see him? It made no sense. They'd always tested each other. Ever since he'd come to realize the dead last was only dead last in the classroom. They'd both grown and developed their abilities off of each other.

He had surprised himself when he'd been sitting in the tree trying to decide whether to go to Orochimaru for training. It hadn't been Sakura or Kakashi he'd thought of. No. It was a perky smile and a head full of blond spikes and two crystal clear blue eyes. Those eyes were so full of trust and they believed in him.

In the end he'd left because he couldn't let him down. He had to get stronger so he could keep his promise. He had to show those eyes that he could keep his word. He'd already known Kakashi had nothing more to teach him. He'd already learned everything he was going to in Konoha unless he waited for the Dobe to learn a new technique and copied it from him. But that could take years. So he had left.

Sakura had tried to stop him and he'd thanked her for stiffening his resolve to go before leaving her knocked out on the bench for Anbu to find. He knew they'd find her before anything bad happened. Her appearance had just reminded him that there were more positive reasons to go than there were to stay. He knew the Dobe wouldn't let him go without a fight. The Dobe was great at fighting but not so good at thinking. That's why whenever he did say something smart it surprised everyone so much.

When they'd met at the Valley of the End he could honor his friend, his brother in all ways that mattered, no less but than to fight him with everything he had. Even so he knew the Dobe had pulled his last attack. He'd seen the scratch on his headband left behind by it and understood that if the Dobe had wanted him dead, he would be. The Dobe had let him go, trusting that this was something he had to do.

Part of him had wished, and still did wish, that he had also pulled his last punch. But he hadn't and doing so would have dishonored the only person he respected. So in a way he was glad he hadn't. He felt no dishonor that Naruto had. He'd known Naruto wouldn't kill him. To Kakashi it was a sign of his weakness but Sasuke knew better. It was simply that Naruto knew the difference between friend and enemy. No. It was different than that. Naruto knew the difference between those who fought for good things, like friends and family and those who fought for bad things. Simple sounding but not so simple to tell one from the other. Naruto could and would kill the bad but he would not, could not hurt the good any more than was necessary.

And so he had gone to the perverted snake man. He had studied hard. Learning everything the stupid Snake Sennin had thrown at him. Undergoing all of Kabuto's weird tests. Taking all the odd pills and smelly liquids. Some days he could barely stand but he'd fought on. And learned. And grown. Overcoming every obstacle. Until he was too strong. Until the day they came for him.

He'd known this was his last chance to go home. Home where his heart's brother lived and waited for him to return. He'd known he wouldn't have to face Itachi alone. Naruto would be with him. Fighting at his side to rid the world of a clan murderer. But first he had to save him. Save him from them. So he had fought. He'd tried to reach where he knew they'd be. Waiting for him. To trap him. To kill him.

But she had to interfere. She had to get in the way. And he was too late. They'd left him behind. No one understood he didn't want to come back then. He wanted to stay there. His family was there. But they made him leave him. They made him come back here. Here where there's nothing but ghosts. Shadows of people who left. Fragments of memories turned to dust. Overlaid with blood. This place had held nothing for him but yet, once he got here, he'd stayed. Where else could he go? His family was gone. The only family he cared about dead and gone. Left to die alone on a rubble covered field of broken stone and dreams.

But he came back. Against the odds, he was back. Why couldn't he see him? Why were they saying his brother didn't want to see him? Didn't want to spar with him? Didn't want anything to do with him? Why? Sasuke sat amidst the torn ground and thought.

Meanwhile Kakashi was patiently, he thought, scrubbing away a years worth of dust and grime from the Nidaime's stony countenance. Anko was gleefully pointing out each smudge and blemish even if she had caused it to be there in the first place. The little second-in-command of the interrogation department was really getting a belly full in her job as his jailor.

She had startled him awake, at five minutes past six, with a pitcher of sticky ice cold berry juice that had left strands of his hair and skin dyed an unbecoming purple no matter how may times he washed. He still had faint purple streaks running down his cheeks and across his forehead.

She threatened to take his mask away if he wasn't ready to go and in the livingroom in fifteen minutes. Needless to say Kakashi had never moved so fast in his life. She had led him to her favorite Dango shop where he'd bought her breakfast before they'd come here. He had never thought anyone could go through money on a simple meal as quickly as Naruto did in a ramen stand but Anko proved him wrong. She could eat as much Dango as Naruto could eat ramen.

He truly thought that the faster they got this done the faster he could back to his real life. He knew Tsunade-sama really hadn't meant for him to have no free time at all but Anko was sadistic in the extreme and she loved little fantasies like this. At least her snake wasn't here also. Wait a minute. Where was that scaly beast?

"Anko?" he questioned.

"Yes, Scum."

He narrowed his eye but bit his tongue against the automatic denial. "Where is that snake you had watching me last night?"

"Oh you mean her?" She pointed to an outcropping that helped to form the second's upper lip.

He glanced down and gulped. He had to quit that. He was going to give himself a sore throat if he kept gulping in fear all the time. But damn the women in this village were downright frightening. That stupid big scaly snake was right under his feet. His eye flew open wide and he drew his feet up toward his chest as the thing moved and raised it's head? tail? Well, one end to the place where he was hanging. He HATED snakes!

"What's she doing?" he screeched as she came higher and higher.

"Oh she's just going to teach you not to think she's stupid. And while she may be full grown she is not big. Her father is much larger than she is."

"Her father?" he questioned shakily as the snake wound around his shaking feet. "Please, Anko-san, call her off."

"Oh didn't I tell you she's Manda's daughter? He has a taste for people so if you aren't better behaved he might just decide you'll do as a tasty snack for upsetting his daughter."

"And Manda is bigger than she is?" His eye was practically bug-eyed now. . . permanently.

"Oh yes. He's a lot older than she is and he is after all the king summon for the snake contract. You didn't think he'd be small did you? After all you've seen Gamabunta and Tsunade's summon. How could you think the Snake King would be any smaller?"

"Oh I don't know," he responded trying for his normal cool and nonchalant expression. "Maybe because Pakkun is and he's the boss summons. Maybe because Naruto was telling us a tall tale about witnessing a three-way fight between the Sennins. Everyone knows that boy takes credit for things that aren't his doing." He was so busy keeping an eye on the snake he forgot to keep an eye on the snake mistress herself. So it was with total surprise that he found her up close and personal and in his face. Three small green snakes flew from the open ends of her sleeves towards his face and he shrieked in fear. They hovered in the air, poised less than an inch from his unprotected skin with their tongues flickering.

Angry black eyes glared into his one eyed and snarled, "I think you need to rethink every single thought you ever had about that boy before I truly show you how miserable of a person I find you to be. Tsunade-sama said I couldn't kill you but she said nothing about making you wish I had. Naruto is ten times the ninja you ever were and if he told you about that fight then he told you the truth."

"Oh come on now. There's no way he convinced her to come be the Hokage. No one, from her bloodline, in their right mind would turn it down. She came as soon as she was asked." It took courage but he returned her passionate gaze with as unconcerned yet scornful look as he could manage, despite the sweat running in a river down his face.

From on top of the monument Tsunade said, "Actually I thought anyone that wanted to become a Hokage was just stupid. I thought it was just a way of saying you were ready to die because that's all Hokage's get in the end anyway. No matter what the reason, the end is always the same."

"It took Naruto fighting against all odds, fresh out of the recuperating bed to show me why someone should take the job. That boy, with only three weeks in which to learn it, learned the Rasengan well enough to blast a hole in his opponents belly. If Kabuto hadn't had the regenerating abilities he did, he would have died there and then, to the hands of a mere twelve year old boy. Naruto gave me a reason to come home. He showed me a reason to become the Hokage. He shared his dream with me and gave me back my life. And you mock him. Because, after all, what have you ever done? What have you ever fought for? Been willing to die for knowing you could very well do just that? When was the last time you ever entered a battle you knew you couldn't win but fought it anyway because someone had to or people were going to die?"

"Naruto told you he gave me the will to come back here. He gave me part of his dream to be the Hokage for him. That's right I became the Hokage for him and for children like him. Children with a dream; a destiny to fulfill. I became the Hokage to protect them so that they might live to fulfill those dreams, those destinies. But what he didn't tell you was that if he hadn't jumped into that fight I would not have become the Hokage. I would have died then and there. Kabuto was preparing to kill me while I was frozen on the battlefield by the sight of my own blood. That Braggart, as you called him, jumped in front of me and freed me by slamming a rasengan into Kabuto. So yeah. That kid did exactly what he told you he did. He made me become the Hokage."

She turned to Anko and said, "Anyway Anko, I've been told to make sure you know about the celebration tonight in the Hobbled Shin. A bunch of your fellows are getting together to celebrate the return. You'll want to be there."

"What about Scumbucket? I don't think taking this Maggot to that kind of a gathering would be such a good idea. Do you?"

"No, I don't but, when they were told why you might not be able to come, they said they'd handle it. Bring him along." She turned to face Kakashi once more. "I warn you, Hatake, they aren't all that far from throwing you to the wolves so if I were you I'd mind my manners tonight. If they catch even a whiff of how you really think of that boy, I guarantee you will live just long enough to regret it."

"Ok," said Anko. "What time?"

"Around sunset I think. They didn't mention a specific time so I think everyone was just gonna drift in whenever their duties for the day released them." Anko nodded and Tsunade left in a swirl of leaves. She did still have at least a small mountain of paperwork to get through.

Kakashi went back to scrubbing the rocky face as if his very life depended on there not being a single smudge of dirt anywhere on it's rocky surface. He even scrubbed the teeth thinking how appropriate it was to be scrubbing them with a long handled brush. All he need was some toothpaste and he bet he could get them to outshine Gai's teeth.

**Author Note: I am so very sorry that this took so long to get posted. I am currently working on about four stories, this one included and sometimes I spend so much time on one of them that I never get back to this one. I do however have this one completely worked out chapter-wise**. **All I need to do, in order to finish posting this story is polish each chapter and make sure the red threads of thought are all tied off as neatly as I can. Hope you enjoy the chapter and I will try harder not to leave you hanging so long for the next one. Remember reviews work wonders to get a writer to post.**


	18. Chapter 18

**Disclaimer: Ok I asked Hubby to buy me a maid.**

**Hubby: I told you when Kishimoto sells us Naruto.**

**Disclaimer: And you see, Kishimoto knows a good thing when he sees one.**

**Hubby: You mean he's gonna sell it to me? No more walking thru a minefield just to cross the livingroom?**

**Disclaimer: Uh...No. I mean he knows it's good that he owns it. He won't sell.**

**Hubby: frowns ... mumbles Dangit . . . Get my hopes up for nothing. . .**

**Disclaimer: Should have just bought me the maid anyway.**

**Hubby: Or bought the boys less toys. . .**

**Disclaimer: Well. . .yeah. That would have helped, I guess. Anyway folks, we still don't own Naruto or a clean house so read and review. And Happy reading.**

Chapter Eighteen: Celebrate Mourning

Jiraiya went with Naruto and Gaara to the practice field where Naruto usually worked out with his kage bushins. He refused to spar with another live person but the bushins let him get a good workout without them and he didn't do damage to his surroundings he couldn't make right. That was an ability that had surprised Jiraiya when he'd first seen it. Naruto had never had an affinity for nature before but apparently he did now. Every mauled patch of ground or broken tree, shattered rock or churned stream was repaired before they left the area for the day. He and Gaara took up sentry positions around the entrance to the training ground while they watched Naruto work with the elemental gifts Kami gave her warrior.

"You don't have to worry about someone copying these. Even the Sharingan can't see the signs to do this."

"That's not why we're here Naruto. You don't seem to realize how many people want to see you and are looking for you every day," answered Jiraiya.

"Why would anyone care? They never did before. All everyone wanted back then, was for me to shut up and go away."

Jiraiya winced but didn't bother denying the claim. He knew there was a certain amount of truth to the statement. "Well, now they all want to see you. Tsunade-hime is beating them off with a stick but some are really persistent. Hence, you have guards where ever you are."

"Speaking of visitors, when do I get to see make-up boy and Temari? Don't they want to see me too? Or did I do something to make them mad at me also?"

Gaara raised an invisible brow and said, "Tomorrow. I'll bring them."

"Don't make them come if they don't want to. Good people should choose who they want to see."

"They want to."

"I keep telling you Naruto, there is no such designation as good people or bad people. We're all just people."

"Good people don't get left behind to die. Good people don't die alone."

"All people die alone in the end, my boy. Only the person who dies can go on that journey." Jiraiya sounded sad as he thought about it but then he perked up and changed the subject. "Tell me about the techniques you're using. Where did you learn them? I've never seen them before."

"I don't know where I learned them. Just when I woke up after Kami told me to live I knew them. So I come practice them. I think I will need them," he said, swinging his rainbow sword at one of his Bushins. The copy poofed out of existence and he muttered, "Damn. Still not right," causing both Jiraiya and Gaara to wonder just what he was trying to do. He continued sparring with the clones sometimes shooting sparks of fiery light and sometimes bolts of lightening into the masses. He took on a group of 1000 clones and, by the time they were all vanquished, he dripped sweat like most people drip water after the shower is turned off.

After all the clones were vanquished, Jiraiya had thought they'd go somewhere to relax but he'd forgotten Naruto didn't really know how to do that very well. Instead, he then led his friends on an exhausting run around the outskirts of Konoha before heading back to the cabin. Gaara had wisely summoned a cloud of sand to fly both him and Jiraiya after the runner. No way would he be caught expending that much energy needlessly and Jiraiya declared himself too old for such activities any more. By the time they got back to the cabin, the sun was low on the horizon and Tsunade was in the kitchen with Shizune and Hinata. They were preparing the evening meal and Naruto excused himself to shower first.

"So anything interesting today," Jiraiya asked Tsunade before she could ask.

"Just another eye opening message from One-eye. Other than that just the usual threats from the scared council who still wants his head on a platter but I think they have something up their collective sleeve now. I haven't figured out what it is yet but I will."

Hinata said, "Father says the same thing. They talk but when he comes near they shut up or change the subject. He says to tell you, as soon as he knows anything he'll let you know."

"Well, we expected they wouldn't give up without a fight now didn't we. But we have good news. Naruto seems to be almost back to normal. Or at least as close to normal as he'll ever get," said Jiraiya.

All three women stopped and waited for him to continue. He just stood with his arms crossed and waited. One. . . two. . . three, yep, there it was. A well aimed punch sent him flying through the wall into the dining room. He stood up rubbing his cheek and laughing. "Now I know everything is getting better," he chortled. "Well, back Tsunade-hime."

"Don't keep me waiting, Toadboy," she spat back. She hadn't called him Toadboy since they were kids when he'd first learned to summon the toads. It made him laugh again.

Gaara just watched impassively but he was glad to see the interplay between them also. During Naruto's six year absence he noticed she just wasn't as emotional as she had been with him around. It was like his friend was the spark that allowed her to feel. Even Hinata had a small smile at the display.

Jiraiya came back into the kitchen where Shizune had studiously been ignoring everyone as she tended to the casserole that was their main course. But she had noted the reappearance of her master's temper with a small smile of her own. She also noted the twinkle that gleamed from Jiraiya's eyes. Soon he would be back to peeping on the women's bathhouses again. She welcomed the return, which she had never thought to hear herself thinking. But a non-peeping Jiraiya was almost as scary as a calm and collected Tsunade. Neither of them had been alright during the years while Naruto had lain barely alive in that cave. She'd known both of them had nearly given up all hope of ever seeing him again. Many a night she'd lain awake pondering how to help them past the boy. Tsunade thought of him as being like Nawaki but Shizune knew Naruto was much more important to her than her brother had ever been. She had seen Tsunade cry for her brother and even for her own uncle but for Naruto she wouldn't let herself go. To cry would mean he was really gone and never coming back. And so she had hung on with both hands refusing to give up. Even Jiraiya had found reason to delay his information gathering trips in order to be on hand should someone report a change in the boy or otherwise indicate it was time to go get him and bring him home. But none of them had expected him to show up on his own. None of them had expected him to be so remote and reclusive either, but he'd come home and now her master and Jiraiya could heal.

"Naruto asked Gaara when he was going to get to see his siblings. He clearly remembers them and wants to see them but he feared they were mad at him and that is why he hasn't seen them." Jiraiya perched on the edge of the work table and waited.

"He thought people were staying away because they are mad at him? Who else is he wishing to see that we don't know about?" asked Hinata. "Maybe Kiba or Shino? I know they both want to see him. Shino won't impose but Kiba is practically crawling out of his skin."

"Shino would be alright. He's peaceful and not boastful or ignorant," came Naruto' voice from the doorway. "How long until dinner Shizune-neechan? I'm really hungry."

"Just a few more minutes, Naruto-kun." She handed him a stack of plates as Hinata grabbed the silverware and followed him to set the table.

"Is there anyone else you want to see Naruto?" she asked shyly once they were laying the places out.

"It might be nice to play Go or Shogi with Shikamaru again. But he and Shino might not want to see me. They're good people and smart."

"I think both of them will be very happy to see you again. Shika is still intrigued by you and Shino will enjoy being around you now because you are not so boisterous as you used to be. You can sit still for more than thirty seconds now without needing to run off and do something just to be moving."

"Why is that anyway, Naruto?" asked Tsunade, carrying a salad bowl in.

"The Fox isn't making me any more. What's left of him is too busy to care if I sit still. In fact he prefers it,"answered Naruto with a shrug.

"He's the reason you couldn't sit still?" shrieked Jiraiya.

"Yes but he is also the reason I am still here." He thought about that for a minute and then added. "Well sort of anyway."

"What does that mean?" exclaimed Tsunade.

"After the battle I will go away. I can not stay regardless of who is victorious."

"Go away," she whispered, her eyes disbelieving. "No. I just got you back again. You aren't going anywhere," she yelled.

"I must," he said simply. He walked over and wrapped his arms around Tsunade, pulling her close though she struggled to get free.

"Shhh. I'm not leaving yet. But you must know I have been gone for a long time now, Oba-chan." He whispered soft words only she could hear telling her it was time to heal, to forgive but mostly to live. He told her to be strong, to be his trust as Kami called her. She cried and clung to his shirt not wanting to believe but knowing his words were irrefutable.

Finally Hinata, who had collapsed on a chair asked, "What do you mean Naruto? I thought once you won you'd be able to live here again. Be a Ninja of the Leaf again."

"No, Hinata." He sighed. "Everyone sit down. I think you have misunderstood something very important here and I need to explain it to you." He waited until everyone was sitting and then took a deep breath. "Six years ago I was trapped inside a barrier. I couldn't win and I knew it. The barrier itself was a trap meant to kill me. It did. I did die when Kyuubi sent me into an irreversible coma. I was not faking death in that cave. I was dead. Kyuubi was keeping my mind trapped in my body and that kept my soul tied to my body. I couldn't move on because he refused to give up. He was spending all of his chakra trying to undo the damage he did but it was a losing battle while he argued with Kami over whether or not I was dead."

" Luckily, Kami needed a warrior for this battle and Kyuubi was crying so loud, she gave in. He was doing everything he could to hold me here. So she healed the worst of my bodies injuries and sent me back here to heal my mind. Even so, she had to come again in order for me to heal."

"But this is not a battle to see if I will be allowed to live again. To dream as normal men do. For that, I would have first have to have been a normal man and that is not something I ever was. Normal men can not house demons no matter how good the seal design or the person performing the sealing. But I did. I do. I am not now nor was I ever a normal man. I am what I was born to be. Everything I have gone through in my life has led to this point. Nothing was without reason or purpose."

"After the coming battle, I will depart. One way or another, I will have no choice because that's the rules. If I stay than that allows the other side to choose a new champion and we will have to do it again." He smiled gently. "I know you all want me to be alive again. To be the number one, most surprising, most unpredictable, knuckle-headed ninja to ever wear the band but I can't be him anymore. I have to fulfill my destiny as do each of you. You must promise to forgive and forget. To go on with your lives knowing full well everything happened for a reason and nothing was without purpose." He looked thoughtful for a minute and scrunched up his forehead before adding, "You must also help Sasuke. He will not deal well when I go." He looked into each sad or seemly impassive face before him. And repeated, "Truly I have been dead for a long time now. Kakashi may not have done as he should have but he did not leave me to die alone as you supposed. He left me behind, it is true. But, as he told you, I was already dead. Kyuubi just wouldn't admit it at the time."

"Where is Kyuubi now?" asked Gaara.

"Kyuubi is still inside me. Well, some of him. Most of him has gone to stand beside Kami for now. He'll return when the battle is engaged and I have a need for him for that was his destiny. What part of him that is still with me, is solely concentrated on healing the damage he did sending me into that coma. It was the only way to get the barrier down where I had the smallest of chance of surviving."

"What do you mean the only way? We heard from Sasuke it wasn't," growled Tsunade, still not willing to admit Naruto wasn't back to stay. "And what do you mean, help him? I'd rather wring his neck."

"It was my only chance at surviving the battle, Oba-chan. Kyu knew, as did I, that Kakashi wouldn't help me. He never would. Every battle I got in, I fought alone unless Sasuke was nearby and free to help. Even after he joined the Snake, if he was close by, he'd help me fight. I knew I could count on Sasuke just as I knew I couldn't on the others. Sasuke was more than a teammate to me and I was to him also. We were like brothers under the skin. And that's why he'll need your help and support. He's already lost his family once. How do you think he'll feel when he realizes, I really didn't survive that battle?"

"Kyu knew I couldn't fight Jijii and my own father. He knew I would try, but he also knew I loved both of them too much to hurt either of them. Even though I knew they were already dead, it didn't matter. I couldn't be the one to send them back to the grave. In that, Kakashi was right. I did not understand how to be a ninja if it meant killing the ones you love."

"So Kyu took a small break in my concentration, when I was almost out of chakra and was preparing to let them kill me, to take over control. He understood the barrier's purpose faster than I did and knew, as soon as I was down, they would come in for the kill. He swiped me with his foot on his way out of his cage and went to too many tails for my body. He never really believed there was a limit to how much of his power my body could tolerate if he actually had control of it. He just couldn't understand the body stayed the same no matter the mind controlling it and that was his undoing. But with that many enemies, and the barrier, and not knowing if this would be the mission where Kakashi would try to kill me, he didn't see a choice. He did what he had to do to try and ensure our survival but I died anyway."

He chuckled. "You have no idea how upset Kyu was. He ranted and raved and cried in my head. He begged and pleaded for me to come back but he didn't know how to reverse the coma I was in because he didn't understand the coma was only because he wouldn't let me go. He held on as tight as you want to Oba-chan but as Ero-Sannin says, when it is your time, it is your time. If Kyu, an immortal demon, can admit it surely you can Oba-chan. Are you really gonna let Kyu beat you in something?"

Tsunade lost it. She fled from the room and the cabin crying her heart out. Hinata sat huddled in upon herself. She wasn't crying but only because she was still trying to comprehend it all. Shizune and Gaara both just sat and looked on remorsefully. Neither knew what to think.

Gaara knew his one and only friend was dead. Well and truly. He'd known it since he'd found him in the cave but yet there was a part of him here. He saw it. He smelt it. His demon knew it also. Both recognized their friend in the man that had come back here. And yes, Shakaku had come to realize Naruto was a friend for the help he gave Gaara that had allowed Gaara to sleep and heal his mind. That in turn had led to his growth so they could grow together. Now both of them just sat and wondered what they were supposed to do with this information. How do you deal with Death? Neither really knew because before when people had died they'd been the reason. But this was different. Naruto had died a long time back and they couldn't get vengeance for him. He'd been murdered but his murder wasn't a cut and dried issue. They couldn't just walk up and charge Kakashi with his death and demand justice. Naruto didn't want that for one. But also they couldn't prove it even if he had allowed it.

Jiraiya went after Tsunade. He caught up to her under the cherry blossom tree and wrapped her in his embrace. He let her cry knowing it was what she needed most. The Gaki was so close but yet he said it so matter-of-factly that he couldn't help but think the boy wasn't really back all the way yet. His own eyes were moist and he ducked his head into her hair as he closed them. He could still hear Naruto's calm voice telling them he really wasn't alive at all. But like Tsunade he didn't want to believe that. He didn't want to lose another student. The last of the line. The last Namikaze. There would be no one else who could learn those techniques. No one else who could rise to their level and shine with the brilliance they had. He would never have another student. He knew that as clearly as he knew his own name and face. And no one knew his face as well as he did.

The two finally sat down under the spreading branches and let the blossoms drift over them. They talked in quiet voices of days and people long gone. And they talked about Naruto. They talked mostly about him and his dreams and how they'd never stood a chance. They talked about the village. They talked about what they, the stupid and ignorant, would think when they saw Naruto as Kami's Warrior blazing with a light they could never hope to achieve. They discussed all those who believed in him. Those who were happy he was home. But most of all they talked about what to do when he was gone again. Both knew they couldn't go back to how they'd been before. Both knew they'd merely been marking time. Not living. Just waiting. And both knew that no matter how much it hurt to go on without him, this hurt even more.

**Author Notes: Ok Folks. Hope you enjoyed the chapter. Please remember to send in those reviews. They really do help me out. Especially if you catch something I brought up earlier and haven't dealt with yet. Soon I will have 19 done and I'll get it posted as soon as it is.**


	19. Chapter 19

**Disclaimer: Ok Hubby is in the kitchen cleaning up the mess his Tax Write-offs left for him (heehee) and that leaves me free to work on this next chapter without interfering comments about misspelled words and forgotten punctuation. Once again I don't own the Narutoverse. Kishimoto still does but that doesn't mean I can't have fun with his creations.**

**Hubby: Just get on with the story, Rose. I'll check your typing when I'm done with the dishes.**

**Disclaimer: Oh crud apples. I got to get this typed up fast and get it posted before he can vent it. **

Chapter Nineteen: Shattered Peace

Around the village people were going about their daily lives. Most had gotten over their surprise at the return of Naruto, whom they had thought dead. But in isolated pockets some were gathered together still discussing the return of their most unpredictable, self-declared protector. Store owners who knew they had taken unfair advantage of the young ninja wondered if he was back for revenge and wished they had just respected the stated words of the old Hokage when he had informed them of the words of the Yondaime. Some people had already gone into hiding, knowing in their hearts that there was no way Naruto could ever forgive them for what they had done to him over the years, which just went to show they had never really bothered to get to know Naruto. But they were drunks who used to be ninja and they fully believed he was the same as they were. One did not forgive someone who had caused them as much pain as they had caused him and so they hid and prayed he wouldn't find them.

Other ninja, who knew of the unfair treatment Naruto had suffered over the years, wondered if they could take advantage of his return to extract some payback for the jinchuuriiki. Too many times had these ninja had to rescue the boy from beatings he didn't deserve and watch helplessly as he fought for his life. They knew the face of every man, woman and child who had ever gone too far in their desire to hurt Naruto for crimes he wasn't guilty of and long had they wished to even the score. They met in small groups and discussed quietly how they could possibly even the score for him without getting themselves into trouble.

Tsunade, Shizune, and Jiraiya were in her office poring over old documents looking for evidence of who had been behind the mysterious orders to leave Naruto behind on that old rescue mission. They found odd comments but no definite proof pointing towards anything useful. Thinly veiled comments about secondary orders coming from outside the Tower but no indications as to where outside the Tower. Many people on the council wanted to see the position of the Hokage undermined and stripped of the authority it held and the thin trails they found in the reports were inconclusive evidence. They dug further back hoping to trace the trail to a name and then trace the name to the power-hungry shadow.

Most the Rookie Nine were sitting in the Ichiraku Ramen Stand and discussing how they could convince the Hokage to allow them each to see Naruto. They had no idea that it really was up to Naruto who he saw and when. Of course, some members of the Nine were not there, as Sakura was definitely persona non grata at the moment and Sasuke, as the reason for her atrocious behavior towards Naruto, was also not welcome. It was with some surprise that they noted Hinata walking up to the group. She had been almost as scarce lately as Sakura and Sasuke. They expected her to greet them all shyly but instead she asked Shino and Shikamaru for a moment of their time. The sunglass wearing nin nodded and without a word, left his companions of the morning stewing over a bowl of ramen. Shikamaru muttered his trademark word as he left Temari's side to join the two on the sidewalk.

They walked down the sidewalk and when they'd passed out of hearing range, even the range of Kiba and Akamaru, she told them quietly that Naruto would like to see them if they wished to visit. "I will, of course, be able to guide you to where he is staying at any time you would like to go if you wish to see him. But I warn you he is not the same Naruto we always saw before and I ask, for his sake, that you not tell anyone else about the visit until he or Tsunade-sama says it is ok."

"He's the Naruto you always saw though, isn't he?" asked Shino shrewdly. Hinata nodded. "That explains why he would not wish to see Kiba." He nodded and spread a hand before them. "Lead the way. I would be honored to visit with him." Hinata turned to Shikamaru and he shrugged. "It's troublesome but I'd like to see him also." She nodded and ducked her head to hide her grin. Then she turned to lead the way in a twisting path to the cabin. All three picked up the chakra signature that tried to follow them as they progressed through the village. But Sasuke wasn't the only one watching them and in their concern to lose their fellow nin they failed to note the presence of the other watchers.

Within the hour, they were sitting with Naruto, watching with awe as the forest animals came for their daily grooming. Naruto had something for each of them no matter how many birds, squirrels and rabbits there were. He even fed the fish he'd found in the brook behind the cabin. No one had known the brook held any fish. Shino and Shikamaru just observed the differences in their old friend, and accepted them for what they were. There were enough of the animals that came around to keep Naruto busy feeding for a couple of hours but he didn't lose his patience with the activity as he gave them all attention and food.

Shikamaru decided it was too troublesome to go on a nature hike through the densely over-grown woods. If he wanted to feed and groom the wild animals, he could have just stayed on the Nara estate and taken care of the herd of deer that called the place home. He sat down in the open area of the front yard and leaned against the base of a tree to partake of his favorite pasttime.

Shino followed Naruto with his hands clasped behind his back. They didn't spend a lot of time on conversation. Neither had much they felt the need to say. After traveling for half an hour Naruto lifted aside a leaf and allowed Shino to see what he'd led him into the forest for. There curled under the shelter of the leaf was a new kind of bug. Shino fell to his knees observing the insect as Naruto freed a butterfly from a web spun by a hungry spider. When the butterfly was free it flew off and Shino noted there was no damage to the web. An unusual trick but he'd see Choji do the same thing so he caught the rare bug and made sure it was safe for the trip back to the Aburame Estate. But Naruto beckoned him to gather others of the species and again he dropped to his knees. It never occurred to him to question Naruto's knowledge about bugs. If this Naruto thought he needed more than a single bug he wasn't going to argue.

All Naruto said was, "Gather the nest entirely. The breed will be healthiest with the full hive." Shino did as he instructed, taking not only the bugs but also some of the nest itself. He knew the bugs would survive best if they had some of their natural enviroment in which to live. His father and the elders of his clan would be very happy with the discovery of a new type of bug in Konoha. They would spend hours studying ways they could possibly benefit from the small brown and gold spotted insects as well as the purpose of the bugs in the ecology of the area. Shino knew that every creature had a role to fill in nature and like all those of his clan he enjoyed seeing the role of the local bugs. The Aburame clan was thought to already posess full knowledge of every type of bug that lived and worked anywhere in fire country but the clan knew that new species were always coming along as the world around them changed. Old species of bugs would die out as their natural purpose disappeared and be replaced by new species who were designed better for the conditions of the world they lived in.

On the way back to the cabin, a fox kit came up to them whining and yipping. Naruto followed the anxious kit to where it's sibling was trapped in a snare. Patiently he knelt down and freed the animal. He held a hand over the fox's leg until the wound from the trap disappeared and then watched as the pair ran off to go find their parents. Shino raised an eyebrow. He hadn't known Naruto had any healing jutsu as there really wasn't a need for him to have to use the jutsu to heal himself and his teammate knew them all, being a student of the Hokage. Silently he trailed behind Naruto, craddling the container of precious bugs, as Naruto led the way back.

At the cabin they found Shikamaru waiting with his Shogi board. The trio passed the rest of the morning playing Shogi while Shino observed his new friends. Shika asked few questions accepting that Naruto would tell him what he felt he needed to know. Truth was Temari had already told him a lot and he felt he knew what he needed to know. She had already told him Naruto was only back for a short period of time. She said Gaara was upset but wouldn't tell them why and that Tsunade and Jiraiya seemed to be upset also.

Finally, as the guys were leaving, Naruto sighed and said, "I don't really know how much you guys know or even care to know but I have a favor I need to have done. And truthfully I don't know who else to ask."

"How can we help?" asked Shikamaru.

"It's complicated but I need someone to watch over Oba-chan, Hinata and Jiraiya when I'm gone. Could you two do it please?"

Shikamaru frowned while Shino raised an eyebrow. "Still the most troublesome person I ever knew. Where are you going and when?" asked Shikamaru.

"There will be a big battle for me to fight. It's why I'm here but when it's over I will go away. I have to. I won't be back. I will have to trust Temari and Make-up face to take care of Gaara but you two will be here and I am hoping you can help those who will be most hurt when I go home."

"Home? Troublesome Boy, this is your home," he said, provoking a small grin, at the nickname, from Naruto.

Naruto sighed and shook his head. "This used to be my home. It stopped being that six years ago when I died. If you don't think you can help them, it's ok. I'm sure Kami will show me someone who can. Thanks for coming to visit. It was fun playing with you, Shika. You really are good at Shogi." He turned to walk back into the cabin.

"I don't claim to understand, Naruto, but I will try to help them as much as I can. If you'll let me, maybe I can come back tomorrow. You're good also and since the death of Asuma I haven't had any really good opponents. I do enjoy a challenge," called Shikamaru.

Naruto looked back and said, "Of course you can come to visit. I would like the company very much. You also Shino. Enjoy the new bugs." He grinned his trademark grin. Well, it was close enough to count for the two young men watching him.

"Just one question, Uzumaki-san," said Shino. Naruto paused and looked at his bespectacled friend. "How did you discover this colony of bugs?"

"Kami told me they were there," he said provoking the eyebrow to rise again. "She said to show them to you and let you give them a new home."

Shino inclined his head and he and Shikamaru left together, silently discussing what they had learned and puzzling about where he thought Tsunade would let him go and just how was he able to communicate with Kami. Both were highly intelligent people and it amazed them to learn that the most surprising ninja had done it again. Once again he had gone beyond the capabilities of the normal person to do the impossible. But one thing was very clear to both of them. If either of them knew anything about the present Hokage, it was that, without a doubt, she would be a long time in letting that particular ninja out of her sight, let alone out of the village. Everyone who knew the pair, knew that the Hokage held a connection to Naruto that was usually only shared by sole mates or by parents to their children.

As they walked they picked up on a large mass of chakra signatures moving quickly in the direction they had just come. Both pushed aside the questions raised by their visit and hurried to where they had left their friends a few hours earlier. Whatever was going to happen they knew without any doubt if they were left out of it the rest of the group would never forgive them.

At the cabin, Naruto went inside to change into his practice clothes. He changed quickly and was just walking out the door when several Anbu landed in the yard. Two broke off from the main group and pushed him back inside as the rest took up defensive positions around the cabin. They were the protective detail Tsunade had assigned to guard him while he recovered.

The two that had pushed him inside took a ready stance in front of him as they motioned for him to be ready for anything. Outside he could hear the sound of fighting. Swords and kunai clashed with the loud ring of metal on metal and every once in awhile someone would scream out in pain. Naruto dropped his head in sorrow. He had hoped to be able to just stay quietly until it was time for the battle but it looked like someone had found him and his peace was to be interrupted. He debated whether or not to go out and join the battle. His new found techniques weren't really meant to be used on mere mortals but he did still know his old techniques he had learned when he was just another ninja of the leaf. He just couldn't stand by and allow the invaders to hurt and possibly kill his precious people.

He centered his consciousness inside his mind where Kami had left a small part of himself. Without words, Kami reassured him that this was not a battle he was to fight. So, as much as he longed to protect them, he did not go outside.

Outside on the battlefield, he felt Tsunade pop in. One of Kami's gifts to him was the ability to separate chakra signatures into individual people. If he knew the person who's signature it was he could identify exactly who was nearby but no matter how many signatures there were he could count each one. From the various chakra signatures he was picking up, he could tell she did not come alone. She had company in the form of Gaara, Jiraiya, and the Hyuugas. Though the defenders were still out-numbered, Naruto smiled and sat down to listen, sure now that the battle would result in victory for his friends. Two legendary Sennin against a bunch of semi-trained thugs. He almost chuckled at the thought of Tsunade baa-chan having to heal up tomorrow the injuries she caused today. He could hear her blasting away at each of the attackers as she sewed up their wounds and fixed their internal booboos.

Outside the newcomers surrounded the uninvited guests. Tsunade and Jiraiya took up opposing positions as the Hyuuga pair stood side by side and Gaara just stood patiently off to the side. Tsunade invited the invaders to leave before more of them ended up in the hospital.

Koharu, from the council, looked around at the opposing force and her own forces before she sneered and said, "We are not leaving so long as that traitor is roaming free. When he is in chains and on his way to the prison where he belongs, we will leave. We know the beast is working for someone else and we will find out what he knows before we execute him. You have overstepped your bounds, Tsunade. We will correct your mistake now."

"So you are the traitor I have been looking for. It is you who have overstepped your bounds, Koharu. This cabin is private property and, if you didn't notice, not actually within the bounds of Konoha proper. But even if it was, you would still be outside of your authority in calling for his imprisonment. Only I have the right to declare one of my nins a traitor. I declare Naruto is not a traitor to a village that sent him out on a mission and left him for dead without bothering to check his condition first."

"You are the one that sent him on that mission," answered the crafty old woman.

"Though I may have sent him on the mission, I did NOT order him to be left behind. Nor would I have ever ordered it. Even deceased, he needed, and deserved, to be returned here. However, I am not surprised to find you would not have thought things through. You always were short-sighted when your emotions are involved."

"I am neither short-sighted nor emotionally involved in this situation," snapped Koharu. "And just what do you mean he needed to be returned here?"

"Oh really? Since when? Or are you going to try and tell me you aren't still having nightmares of your grandchildren that you in your own fear caused the death of during the Kyuubi attack. You were so scared of dying you left them to fend for themselves as you stuffed yourself into their hiding spot. A house collasped on top of them and buried them beneath the rubble. They died in agony and you still hear their screams in your sleep. Or are you going to deny it now? Are you honestly going to stand there and tell me that isn't what you really want to punish Naruto for? The death of your own grandchildren. He didn't kill them and you know it. Even Kyuubi didn't kill them though the demon did knock over the building that fell on them. You killed them by pushing them out of their hiding spot to take it for yourself." Tsunade had never liked Koharu and it showed in the tone of the words she flung at the feeble looking old woman. Koharu had always suffered from a massive superiority complex and blamed others whenever she failed at anything. That her grandchildren had died in the attack was something she had always blamed on Naruto though there was no way in hell he was to blame.

Koharu hid her rage at the reminder of her old wound. With some difficulty she pushed theimages of her mangled grandchildren from her mind and concentrated on the situation at hand. "If he is not a traitor, then where has he been for the last six years? We know he has been in another village and now he is back as an agent for them intent on finding out our strengths and weaknesses in order to assure that village victory over us. Do not deny it. Before he dies, we will find out who he is working for and what their plans are." She gave Tsunade a small quirk of the lips that was supposed to be a smile before continuing. "If you will not hand him over to the proper forum of justice, then I must conclude that you are in cahoots with him. Be careful you don't topple yourself for such a one as him,"sneered Koharu. "Lie down with Demons, wake up in Hell. Arrest the Hokage on charges of suspected traitorism also."

"And just which village would he have gone to? Suna is the only village that would have welcomed him and you know it. Gaara would have let us know immediately if Naruto had shown up in his village."

"I do not know and that is why he must stand trail for his behavior. Six years is a long time to be gone and you can not deny the beast has changed his ways. He is not the same as he was and I wish to know why," said Homura, deciding to try and get the conflict resolved without any more bloodshed. "I am not saying he has betrayed Konoha, Hokage-sama. Just that he has been gone for too long not to keep that possibility in mind. If he is truly innocent, then of course, he will be welcomed back. I am curious though, as to why you say he needed to be brought back even if he had died on the battlefield."

"Like he was ever really welcome in Konoha," whispered Hinata just loud enough for her father to hear. The two Hyuugas were standing in defense positions next to each other so as to be able to lend a helping hand to whichever one came under attack. Her Father smirked and whispered back, "There is virtually no possibility of them finding Naruto innocent either. For too long they have been seeking his death for that to happen."

"It's simple really. For two people who grew up with The Professor I am surprised at how little the two of you are able to see. Sensei would be very disappointed in the both of you. Naruto has the king of all the Demons sealed inside his naval. It never once occurred to either of you that the demon might not follow Naruto into death right away and that there might have actually been time for someone to extract the demon from him as he lay dead upon the field unable to stop them. At the very least his corpse should have been destroyed there and then if Kakashi had truly believed him to be dead, though I am glad he wasn't," said Jiraiya.

Two more chakra signatures flared into the small clearing as Kakashi showed up with Anko. He looked at Koharu and then at Homura and finally at Danzo, the final member of the council who desired Naruto's death. He said, in a quiet voice, "As for why he stayed away for so long, it was because he had no choice. He was in no condition to return, not that you three would have welcomed his return anyway. But just as you claimed Sasuke was not a traitor, I will claim Naruto is not either. At least, Naruto didn't leave to go train with an enemy of the village. He was abandoned as you ordered. I should know. I left him there as I was ordered to. When you gave me my orders, Danzo, you didn't care that he might wind up in another village. You didn't even care if he was healthy enough to be of a benefit to another village. You just wanted him gone from the Leaf since Hokage-sama would not give him to you to train as a weapon."

"And you failed. He's come back and now it'll be worse for the tree that is Konoha. I thought you had the good sense to make sure he was dead before you left him behind. Or at least so close to it there was no chance of his return but here he is. Alive and well, from what I can tell. If I can not control the weapon that is the jincuuriiki then it must be destroyed and those who protect it as well. Now die!" Danzo lunged at Kakashi but was cut down from the side as the Anbu had been waiting for just that move.

With blood leaking from his side, Danzo backed off as Kakashi drew a deep breath and said, "Since Naruto returned in the horrible shape he was in I have had plenty of time to think. To think about what I did and didn't do. To think about what I believed and why. About how I have failed both my team and my Sensei. I have come to see that he never did half the things I thought he did. I saw Naruto as weak and unfit to be a ninja. As nothing more than a bully picking on good ninja and trying to cause them harm but that wasn't what he was doing at all. He fought with Sasuke all the time but Sasuke enjoyed those fights and looking back I can see that with every battle Sasuke improved. Most of the time Naruto lost those battles because he would stop when Sasuke ran out of chakra. Naruto didn't need to rest but Sasuke did. I disregarded my best student to shore up my most fragile." He stopped speaking to look the old warhorse in the eye before continuing, "You have done the same thing. To shore up the weaker roots of the tree, you will destroy the strongest one. But don't you know the tree will die if you cut away it's strongest root? If you try to take him from here, I guarantee I will make sure it is not easy for you to do."

"I thought you understood, Hatake," said Danzo.

"I understand perfectly now. Like I said I've had time to think things through. You spent years telling me he was responsible for my sensei's death and for Jiraiya being away from Konoha. That was a lie but you're good at lying. Naruto was not in any way responsible for Yondaime's death. A mere baby of less than a day is never responsible for the death of anyone or anything. Yondaime-Sensei chose his fate and Naruto's as well. Naruto is the one who had no choice in the matter. I can't believe I was ever so stupid not to see that. It was just his bad luck to be born that day."

"Me either," muttered Anko beside him to the comment about his stupidity.

"Bad luck. Ha ha ha. I like that. He was forced into being born that day. He was taken from his mother's womb so that he could be the container for the Kyuubi Demon. The Yondaime was so full of himself that he refused to believe any other child could possibly be suitable. So he forced his own son into being born two weeks ahead of schedule just to confine the Demon. From the moment of his demise the Yondaime's son should have been turned over to me so I could mold him into the perfect weapon to defend this village and lead it to the glory it has always deserved but no the Hokages had to get in the way. First that old fool who refused to see the container as anything different than a normal child and then this foolish soft woman who never should have become Hokage. Now it is too late to mold his character and so he needs to be destroyed as all failed weapons should be." Finished speaking, Danzo snapped his fingers and members of his ROOT organization poofed into existence around the cabin. They immediately went on the attack.

With the admission from Danzo, the defenders fought back and the three council members ran for cover to await the victor. Only Homura hung his head in saddness. He had truly hoped the situation could be resolved without confict that would result in death and bloodshed. But as feet and fist flew every which way, blood dotted the ground as knuckles and weapons connected. People dropped down and stayed down bleeding from holes they shouldn't have and the council members, so brave mere moments before, cowered.

Just when they were sure Danzo's group would win, suddenly in the middle of the mess, new people poofed into the small yard. Shino and Shikamaru had returned with the Rookie Nine and although they didn't know what was going on they knew a fight inside Konoha wasn't a good thing. But being the Rookie nine plus six they really didn't care either. They all loved a good fight and this promised to be one of the best. They jumped right into the heat of the battle and started laying low any all comers they didn't recognize as friends of their blonde-headed friend. Shikamaru grabbed an unlikely fighter in his shadow bind as Choji waded in to bonk him over the head. Ino switched minds with another and held them for Choji also. He waded over and gave a giant sized one finger salute to the unlucky nin. Then he tapped her on the head and said, "Nitey nite" as she passed out.

Tenten was handing out her weapons to all those who'd run out on Naruto's side. And when she saw a nin take the kunai she'd just handed her and turn to slash at another in the line, she turned to the closest ninja she knew was on Naruto's side and said, "This one's not ours?"

The Anbu standing next to her shook her head and before the hidden Root nin could blink Tenten had snatched back her kunai and twirled it to plant the pointy end in the girl's mid-drift. "Don't get grabby with other people's toys, Yitch," she said as she watched the hapless girl slide to the ground.

Similar battles were going on all around the outside of the small cabin as members of the Rookie nine and the rest of Naruto's friends tried to show their support. Anbu squared off against Root and the Rookie Nine pitched in where they could while Tsunade's group took up defensive positions in front and behind the cabin. They kept anyone from diving inside the cabin. The Anbu and the Rookies were throwing kunai and shuriken at their opponents while the Root people were trying their best to use taijutsu in the small yard. The sheer number of combatants made it near impossible and the only one having any fun in the Taijutsu battle was Lee. He was having the time of his life as he jumped and twisted, kicked and dove, punched and bent in nearly every direction all at the same time. He loved the sheer volume of his enemies and he kept trying to exhort them to greater efforts in order to give him a good workout. His loud cheery voice rang over the battlefield until everyone- - from both sides- - was begging him to shut up. But what no one knew was Naruto had already left with his two guards. As soon as Danzo had summoned his troops Naruto had laid a hand on each Anbu's shoulder and poofed them all away to his favorite training grounds across town.

Naruto spent hours practicing his moves and waiting for things to clear. He knew Tsunade and Jiraiya would take care of it but he also knew he would not be going back to the cabin. It was no longer safe for him. Too many people knew where he was so Tsunade would have to find him a new place to wait. He just hoped it would still be close enough to Konoha for him to win the upcoming confrontation. For now, he just waited at the training field for Tsunade to show up or some other indication that the battle was over. The two Anbu who had come with him stood guard at the edge of the field keeping a wary eye on the people coming and going about their business beyond the boundaries of the field. Not for one minute did they believe the fighters at the cabin were the only ones to wish their Primary harm. They kept one hand on their weapon pouches as they waited for an attack to come.

**Author Note: Ok Finally this chapter draws to a close. I thought it never would. This was definitely the chapter that just went on and on and on. But I hope it satisfies though I doubt it is as good as my previous chapters. Somehow, writing this chapter, I just never could get all the information in that I wanted to in a way that made sense and fit with the outline for the battle. I know new questions have been raised and they will be answered in latter chapters. Be assured the story is only approaching the midway point. There's lots more to come. Hope you enjoy and don't forget to review. (Those reviews really do help me to know what questions you as the reader have and to satisfy your thirst for knowledge. lol) Mother Rose**


	20. Chapter 20

**Disclaimer: Ok the house is cleaner than it has been in a long time. Amazing what gets done when the power goes out. But unfortunately I still don't own anything Naruto except my own little dribble drabbles. In other words this story and the others I have written belong to me but Naruto and crew do not. Hubby isn't commenting tonight because he's at work so blame him for any errors please. Heehee. . . **

Chapter Twenty: Found Out?

At the cabin, the special operations people from ROOT finally noticed, along about the same time as the council members, that their target wasn't there and that they were soundly getting their backsides handed to them on a silver platter. The platter might have had a few dents, scratches and smudges of tarnish on it but it didn't alter the fact that it was holding ROOT backsides. Curtesy of the famous or in Danzo's opinion, infamous Rookie Nine plus Three. That damned Sand Trio weren't helping matters any either. Growling in frustration, Danzo, still bleeding heavily from the gash in his side, called his troops off. Slowly, the ROOT people faded away from the scene. They even took their downed comrades so that Tsunade wouldn't have anyone she could point out as being part of the group let alone question. Unknown to Danzo every member of the expedition had promised each other to make sure no one was left alive on the battlefield. None wished to face an angry Hokage or Ibiki's famous interrogation. Each knew their injuries would be healed by either the Hokage herself or by one of her two apprentices and then they would be turned over to Ibiki for questioning and he had a reputation that was almost as feared as his apprentices. Those two girls were each scarier than he ever had been.

The two councilmen had already beat a hasty retreat. They definitely didn't want to face Tsunade now that she had won the confrontation. Even though they were still convinced the boy she sheltered and protected as always was a dangerous threat to their beloved home they would not willingly stick around to face her wrath. Though they were councilmen, they could still be put in front of Ibiki and questioned just as easily as Danzo's soldiers. Both Koharu and Homura were retired nins and Tsunade held within her power the ability to re-instate them to active roles if she so chose for whatever reason she chose. As active ninja, they would be forced to resign their seats on the council and, as active ninja, they would fall under her command. Therefore, being questioned by Ibiki's interrogation squad was definitely in their thoughts as they fled the scene. Both sought for ways to cover their backsides and keep their positions as they scurried through the throngs of shoppers looking for a place to hide.

Tsunade growled as she saw the ROOT people vanish from the yard, each carrying a downed comrade. She and her comrades were guarding the entrances to the cabin but their posture was too relaxed for the boy to have been inside, a fact Danzo had noted and which was the true reason he had called his troops off. He really didn't care how many of his force had to die in order to accomplish the objective. In fact, Gaara had told the defenders the minute Naruto left and so they had known he wasn't in any real danger.

Once the attackers were gone, Sakura gave a nod in Tsunade's direction and bowed low to Hinata. In a quiet voice she said, "If you need me, I will be helping at the Tsu residence. Mrs. Tsu needs help with her gardening and I am finding it good therapy while I think but I will come immediately if you need me again. Is anyone injured before I leave?" She was trying very hard to remember who she had been once upon a time. The friend Ino still saw her to be. The student, Tsunade had gladly taught all her tricks. The daughter her parents had loved. The girl Naruto had seen her as, although that might not have been who she really had been either.

She received negative shakes and nodded once more in farewell before she left. Behind her Anko and Kakashi left. Kakashi had a wall that needed some serious sanding and Anko was his supervisor. He said nothing to either of his former students on his way out. He'd meant what he had said to Danzo during the confrontation. He had been rethinking things and seeing them in a new light due to Anko's snorts of barely concealed rage and/or amusement whenever he had tried to tell his side of events.

The Rookie Nine began to move off also, though they moved slowly. Most didn't want Naruto to feel forced into seeing them but all of them wanted him to know they would fight for him if he needed them to and each was hoping to be stopped by his cheery voice calling out to them. Hinata and Shikamaru moved through their numbers thanking them for coming and promising to let them know as soon as Naruto was ready to see them. They carefully explained they were going slowly at re-introducing people to him as when he had returned he honestly hadn't remembered anyone.

Kiba was more than a little upset. "Why won't he see me, though? He knows I'd never hurt him," he loudly whined, hoping the sound of his voice would bring Naruto out to say he could stay.

Neji fielded the question and complaint, which surprised everyone. "Kiba it's simple. Can you sit still for five minutes? If not, you have too much energy for him right now. He needs peace and quiet."

"Huh?"

"She said he didn't remember any of us when he returned. That means they're trying to help his mind recover. His mind. Not his body. Physically he's probably fine but his mind was traumatized and that kind of injury takes a lot longer to recover." Hinata nodded as did Shikamaru and Shino.

Kiba looked doubtful, mainly because he didn't understand a word of what Neji had just said. Akamaru barked and growled and Kiba listened to his pup, who wasn't really a pup anymore. When the dog quit, he sighed and hung his head. He thought it over turning to look back at the cabin once again before Ino grabbed his arm and started tugging him off. The rest of the rookies fell into step and they followed Kakashi away from the cabin. Soon, the only one of the rookies, still standing in the yard, was a glaring Sasuke.

"So this is where you hid him, huh? Well, it seems like I've found him now so you might as well let me in to see him. I'm not leaving until I do," he said.

"Actually, Sasuke, he isn't here," answered Hinata. She had grown bolder during her tenure as one of Naruto's caregivers. For him, she would speak up and do what she felt was best to protect him from everyone. Including his self-proclaimed brother.

"What do you mean he isn't here? Of course he is. Why else would the council show up here to arrest him? And if he isn't even here why were we fighting to protect him? Move aside, Hyuuga."

But the five self-appointed guardians held their posts. Gaara stood glaring into Sasuke's eyes, silently begging him to try and force him to move, while Hinata stood as tall as her spine could make her at his side, which unfortunately didn't make her even come up to Gaara's shoulder. Jiraiya, Tsunade and Shizune each just stayed relaxed, knowing that, even as strong as he'd become, Sasuke was no match for them. Hiashi stood behind the arrogant young man at the garden gate waiting for his daughter so he could walk her home. If necessary, he too would step in to stop the prideful Uchiha from forcing his way where he wasn't welcome.

"The council had the wrong location. This cabin is my get-away location, Sasuke. It's where I come when I don't want to be found for a bit," said Jiraiya calmly looking around at the destruction the fighters had made of the yard. To Hinata and Gaara he said, "We're gonna have to get this mess cleaned up. Can't have my neighbors thinking I'm killing people in my front yard."

Gaara raised an eyebrow as if to say, "Me? Do yardwork? Are you serious?" while Hinata just nodded after she also took a quick look around. She definitely didn't want Naruto coming back to this mess.

"Naruto hasn't ever been here. We leaked it to the council's people that he was recovering near this location and let them see us come and go to force their hand," added Tsunade.

"Like I'm gonna believe that. Why don't you just open the door and tell him to come on out here? Unlike the rest of the idiots, who call themselves his friends, I know he's in there."

Before anyone could say another word, Gaara solved the issue. He opened the cabin door and waved a hand inside, letting his special itching sand reach out and rub against Sasuke as he, in his usual brisk fashion, brushed past him and into the empty cabin. Sasuke absently brushed clinging sand off his arm as he surveyed the room, not noticing as the sand coiled around his ankles and began climbing up the inside of the pants he wore. Some granules worked themselves into the fabric of his socks and, through his own movements, would find their way into his shoes. Sasuke saw an untidy stack of writing material covered a desk under a window. A small stack of breakfast dishes could be seen piled clumsily around the sink. And both the doors to the bathroom and bedroom stood open showing an untidy bit of a mess awaiting cleaning up also. But nowhere was there any sign of anything orange or any other evidence of Naruto. It truly looked as if he had never been inside the cabin at all. Sasuke frowned, beginning to feel itchy, and spun on his heel.

"Ok, if he isn't here, then where is he?" He was angry. He absently scratched at his arm where he had brushed against Gaara on his way in. He'd thought he'd found him. Finally. But he wasn't here. He was so mad if he hadn't been an Uchiha he might have screamed. "You're hiding him somewhere and I will find him eventually so you might as well just tell me now. And don't even bother trying to tell me again how he doesn't want to see me. Or that he might kill me if he does. I know Naruto better than you ever did and I know he wants to see me. He wants to fight me just as much as I want to fight him." His eyes narrowed in challenge as he drew blood on his arm he was still scratching. "He always preferred to fight someone who could actually give him a challenge and a reason to keep working. You're the one trying to change who he is by only letting certain people see him now. People who are soft and weak and who you can manipulate into telling him what you think he should know."

Tsunade was getting tired of his little temper display. His little bit of a temper didn't scare her one little bit and everyone there knew it. Several of the watchers winced as Sasuke lost control of himself. They knew their Hokage well enough to know her own temper was rising and it was sooo very much more. . . potent. There was a reason she was considered a legend where temper tantrums were concerned. Hinata looked to the floor trying not to see the fallout when she saw Tsunade draw back her shoulders and she knew she had narrowed her eyes. The two actions went hand in hand and she'd seen it often enough to know there was no stopping things now. Tsunade would have her say and the Uchiha would be lucky if he walked away in one piece.

Marching right up to the arrogant Uchiha Tsunade let her temper take over as she put her face right in his and spat, " Are you quite finished now, Teme? You will see him if, and ONLY if, he wants to see you. All you want is to see if you are still stronger than he is but he has no need for such pitiful displays anymore. He knows full well that you were never his equal and he feels no need to stroke your little ego now. If he deigns to see you, it will be arranged, but I can tell you for a fact, so long as it is a power match-up you're looking for, it won't happen." She growled, "Naruto can beat me and he can beat Jiraiya. Do you honestly think you can take either one of us down? Even one at a time with a week between bouts to recover? He can beat us together at the same time in the same fight. I dare say he can take on the full Anbu corp though I am not willing to test that." She paused for thought and then concluded, "Now get out of here before I show you exactly why you are not now, nor ever have been a match for him. Her hands were fisted on her ample hips and her breasts were thrusting forward, heaving with her angered breathing, as if to say, _"Come on. Let's us out. We can black his eyes for him so he'll never see the punch coming. Together we can give him real flying lessons."_

Sasuke, as if he heard those actual words, blanched and then turned red, blanched and flushed again before he back pedaled and spun around the glaring Hokage, whose actual words he hadn't really even heard once she'd thrust her chest in his face, and zipped out the door. His blood pulsed through his veins keeping time with his pounding feet as he raced across the rooftops on his way to the safest place he knew. The blood kept pooling in his cheeks only to drain away again a few agonizing minutes later as he burst through his own front door at the Uchiha estate. Once inside, he slammed the door and threw every lock he had on it before rushing to every window on the main floor and locking them before pulling the curtains tightly closed. He definitely didn't want to see what would happen if she did turn those things loose. They were a menace, he thought, as he began to strip his clothes as he made his way straight to his shower, grabbing a towel on the way.

Back at the cabin, everyone stood in stunned shock. "What in the world got into him," muttered Tsunade with a confounded look. She didn't think she'd been that hard on him. She hadn't even touched him for Pete's Sake. Sure maybe she shouldn't have called him a Teme but if he was gonna insist on acting the part. . .

Jiraiya began to giggle while Hinata and Gaara just looked at her in surprised shock. Shizune was busy trying to look at anything except her employer while Hiashi was finding a sudden interest in the clouds that floated serenely overhead. It was Hinata who finally answered her. "Uh, um. . . Tsunade-sama, um. . ."

Tsunade looked at her in total confusion. "Well, what?"

"You had your um. . assets inhisface." She rushed through the rest of the explanation with a cherry red face, pointing to Tsunade's chest.

Jiraiya lost his composure. He belly laughed in glee. He could still clearly see Sasuke's eyes bugging out of his head. Between giggles he said, "At least we know he really is a red blood male though I think your girls might have just convinced him to swing the other way for a bit. He hee he. I think he actually thought he heard those beauties threaten him. Ho ho ho. He hee he." He held his sides laughing so hard tears were rolling down his cheeks. Even Gaara had a small smirk.

Hiashi was trying hard to keep his stoic upper class expression but he was seeing the image also and it was a losing battle as a small smirk turned up the corners of his lips. Before he could lose his private battle with decorum, he excused himself to tend clan business. When he was a safe distance from the cabin and noone was around to see or hear him, he let out a small quiet, but for any who knew him, loud chuckle and smiled the rest of the way to the Hyuuga Estates. He'd trust Gaara to see his daughter safely home. Air flight was not on his list of preferred ways to travel and if he'd stayed to wait for her, he might have found himself joining Jiraiya. His dignity might never recover from the experience but it had been a sight to see and he was glad he hadn't missed it. He had missed the days of being able to find amusement in the presumptuousness of the Uchiha clan.

Inside, Tsunade was advancing on a still laughing maniac. She stalked him and both Gaara and Hinata quickly stepped aside, clearing the runway for Jiraiya. Both knew he was about to take those aforementioned flying lessons courtesy of Tsunade's awesome right hook. Since he was standing, or rolling, in front of the open door when she connected, he went flying straight outside still laughing manically to the shout of, "Shut Up, you Overgrown Pervert."

At the training ground the Anbu were now watching in shock. They didn't even notice the sound of Jiraiya crashing to the ground in the next training area over, as they were too busy watching Naruto work out. They worked out hard but this kid was doing three times the workout they normally did and he showed no signs of being tired yet. Every time a clone would burst, he'd summon five more to take it's place. He was practicing lightening strikes and thunder fists and earth defenses at the same time he used his wind, nature, water and fire manipulation skills.

Thunder Fist, as they discovered, was an off-shoot of his lightening manipulation and something very few nins had the ability to perform. It literally required the lightening user to be moving so fast they broke the sound barriers in the battlefield. As in any thunderstorm, by the time you heard the thunder the move was named for, it was too late. Lightening would follow the sound of the thunder and, if you weren't down before it hit, you would be when it did.The injuries caused by the jutsu were felt only after he passed as eardrums would burst and your equilibrium was destroyed. Naruto was the only person either of them had ever seen use the ability before. Suddenly they found themselves very glad he was on their side and that they weren't fighting him. They had read of the move in books but never had they seen it. The kid was deadly with just his lightening moves but that was probably his least most destructive element.

The rasengan was deadly even in Jiraiya's hands but in Naruto's it was a force of nature that could only be described as "No Need For A Coffin Now" or "Mapmaker's Bane" ninjutsu. With him in control, it was a most destructive force and he was clearly trying to make it even more deadly. Just how dead did this kid think a person could get, each guard wondered? Just watching, as he worked to combine the elements into it, they knew there would be no survivors if he ever chose to level just one of them against the village. The ninja before them was a powerhouse that defined the word. So far, they saw he could command the water, wind and lightening into the sphere but he was having trouble bringing in the fire, earth and nature. He could also form a rasengan of those last three elements but when he went to bring in the first three, the sphere blew apart sending his clones back where they came from.

Every once in a while he would dispel a clone he'd had working with just one element and sit in quiet contemplation for a few minutes before standing to summon a new group. His guards took those moments to try and clear the shock that was clouding their minds. But his little breaks weren't really long enough for them to regain much of their composure. They had never seen a Master as powerful as he was and they were having trouble relating the boy they used to know with the man in front of them. In their minds, they echoed the other Anbu who had taken a turn at standing guard duty, as he practiced, and called him The Element Master.

After he'd been practicing for four hours, he divided his two thousand clones into six equal groups of three hundred and thirty-three. The remaining two clones stood beside him and helped him watch the rest. He now had one group of clones for each element he could control and that he wished to make into the perfect rasengan. He then divided each group in half again and had each half develop a different sized rasengan. Of group one, the wind group, he had half of them create the largest wind rasengan they could and see how long they could hold it. The second half had to create the smallest, most compressed form they could and see how long they could hold it.

He did the same with the other five groups. Each one hundred and sixty six clones were to be supervised by the one remaining guy who wasn't in a group and when they had the form as small, or large, as it would go and could hold it no longer they were to release the form against a rock or tree, with each group being assigned to their own area of the training field. Naruto wanted to study the results of the exercise and he didn't need clones exploding their rasengans where ever they felt like it. He wanted to see which form was the strongest, but by seeing the release he could also see the swirl patterns that told how it formed into the rasengan. From that he hoped to find the key to forming all six elements into the same rasengan. But he knew that would only be the tip of the iceberg. He would still have to learn the most effective form of his deadliest attack. Just because he could make a single elemental rasengan any size he wished it to be didn't mean he could do the same with one that contained all the elements.

He was unaware of the shock on his body guard's faces as he worked with the elements. He knew the time of the battle was growing closer and he still had a long way to go to be ready for it if he was to win. And he had to win. Losing never entered his thought for longer than it took him to tell someone the conditions under which he would lose. The conditions under which his lost was guaranteed. Other than that he thought only of mastering his abilities and earning the trust and love Kami had given him. He thought only of earning the sacrifice only he and Kami knew the Kyuubi had made. For the first time in his life he knew the reason for his lonely existence and he didn't want to disappoint those who believed in him enough to make sacrifices for him.

His guards were panting in exhaustion as they watched him clean up the battlefield after his clones were finally all dispelled. They were both leaning into the trees they'd chosen for camouflage, no longer even pretending to watch for signs of impending unwelcome intrusions. They were unable to see where this kid got his energy from and knowing that if the whole of the Anbu corp had worked out in the field they might have done the same amount of damage but there were over a hundred ninjas working in Anbu, counting those in the specialized fields. Might have. But there was absolutely no way any of them would have had the left over energy required to put the field to rights again. It would have had to wait until the next day and even then, none of them, not even their best nature manipulator would have been able to repair it like this.

The two watched as the same small flowers bloomed again in the field and the trees stood straight in their healthy bark coats. Remains of fallen trees were decomposed and absorbed into the ground to send tender sprouts forward. New life would grow where they fell. Leaves budded and grew to full bloom on previously bare branches, of trees he hadn't felled, and offered comforting shelter to the small shoots of green life beneath them. Even rocks were not forgotten as pieces, large and small joined with sandy residue as they reformed into resting spots for tired walkers. But what truly amazed them was seeing that he didn't even forget the small nuts and bits of stale bread that had littered the ground when they first appeared for his training time. Each piece was back on the ground just waiting for a hungry bird or squirrel to come by for dinner.

When he was satisfied everything was repaired as best it could be he walked over to where the two were waiting in the trees. He said, "I must find Tsunade and find out where I am to stay now." The guards barely managed to nod as they gathered the necessary chakra and shuishined, with him, into the tower office.


	21. Chapter 21

**Author Note: Ok I gave you a slightly shorter chapter but hopefully not so short you feel cheated. This was too much to add to the last chapter but I felt it was enough for it's own. Next chapter should be normal length. **

**Disclaimer: Of course I still don't have that maid. Hubby bought me a dishwasher instead of the copy rights. What can I say? Naruto isn't mine.**

**Chapter Twenty-One: Office Visit**

Tsunade was there working on the reports with Shizune. Naruto watched for a few minutes, as he came in her office window, with a curious look on his face. He saw them discussing the never-ending stacks as Tsunade read one and Shizune read another. They talked about them before Tsunade marked and signed off on them. Shizune took them as Tsunade took a new report from the stack.

"If you hate those forms so much why do you do them like that?" asked Naruto.

"What Gaki? And where have you been? You just about gave me a heart attack when Gaara said you weren't in the cabin."

"I went to practice. I figured even when you won the fight I wouldn't be safe there as soon as I saw the Harpy and her toy show up so I took my guards to my practice area. Figured by the time I was done, the fight would be over one way or the other but I can't afford not to practice. I have a long way to go before I am ready for the upcoming battle."

"How'd you know we'd win? We might have lost you know."

"Nope knew as soon as you got there you'd win. You're Trust."

Tsunade saw the disbelieving looks in the stances of his two Anbu. Even though they had their masks on she knew they look in their eyes could only have been shell shocked. She smiled.

"Gaki, I think you scared your guards again. But what did you mean about these blasted reports?"

He snapped his fingers and twenty clones poofed into the office. He gestured to the stacks scattered all over the room and told them, "Sort them according to repeats, missions returned and missions to go, civilian complaints and civilian bills and pesky councilmen." Shizune snickered as she heard the "Pesky Councilmen" comment.

Pesky Councilmen?! Beside him, his two guards fell to the floor unable to stand any more. This was too much. How could he still have energy to summon clones? This was beyond unbelievable. And he spoke to them like it was nothing out of the ordinary.

Shizune just looked at the two guards and mumbled with a long suffering sigh, "I'll get the restorative." as Naruto blinked at them in total confusion.

"What's with them? It's not like I took their chakra or that they had to do anything?" he muttered.

Shizune returned with the tea just in time to hear his questions. "You have more chakra at your disposal than you did six years ago Naruto," said Tsunade. Even back then, the amount you could call up was astounding to those who hadn't seen it before but now. . . it's almost like seeing a God in human form." His comment about taking their chakra dawned in her mind and almost without thinking she asked, "What do you mean about taking their chakra? You can do that?"

"I could if I needed to but Kami chose me because I have plenty of my own chakra. I don't think she would like it if I took other people's chakra just for practice." He had a thoughtful look on his face as he wondered about maybe practicing that technique. Then he shook his head and dismissed the idea. If the battle reached the point where his chakra wasn't enough, then he'd already lost and it wouldn't do any good to take the chakra from others.

Naruto lost interest in the two guards as Shizune bent down and began to revive them. Turning to Tsunade, he shrugged and said, "When they get the papers sorted you'll need to summon your own clones in order to fully make the process work for you. They can keep going as long as you need them to but clones from someone else's chakra will only give their gathered knowledge to the person who's chakra it is."

"I know how Kage Bushins work, Gaki. I just can't believe I didn't think of this."

Naruto gave her a grin that reminded her so strongly of his old childish self that she grinned without thinking. "Neither did Jijii. He's been kicking himself ever since the Fourth asked him why he never used them."

It took a few minutes for what he said to sink in. Shizune dropped the tea cup she was holding. Both guards, who were once again awake, turned to stare at him as they fought to stay conscious and Tsunade whispered, "Nani?"

Naruto scrathed the back of his head sheepishly, once again evoking the memories of the boy she had come to love and respect. "Well, both of them are in the Shinigami's belly right now. Yondaime had to wait for Kyu to show up to have an opponent and since a part of Kyu is still with me, sometimes I can hear what they say. Yondaime and Kyu don't fight very much and sometimes the Shinigami gets mad at them for it. He does like a good fight after all but they were never really enemies so fighting each other is hard for them. Kyu keeps trying to get the Shinigami to let him fight Orochimaru instead since that's who he was after when he came to Konoha in the first place."

"Jijii had to fight those arms the Shinigami grabbed until Kakashi and I sent the rest of Orochimaru's body onward. Now they, the Yondaime and Jijii, fight side by side in the Shinigami's belly. The same can't really be said for Kyu and Snakey Boy tho. Kyu keeps trying to take a bite out of him whenever they have a four way match-up. I don't think the Shinigami will keep them there for long though. That Snake Sannin seems to give him indigestion and he just can't seem to convince Kyu to work with the Snake Master."

The four people in the room were struggling to come to terms with the thought of this young man being aware of such things. It was almost more than they could comfortably believe but Naruto had always been a surprise in one way or another. Shizune muttered, "I think more, stronger restoratives are in order," and left the office while the two guards just groaned and dropped their heads into their hands.

Tsunade grasped ahold of the one thought that had been in her mind ever since she had returned to Konoha to take over as Hokage. "Somehow I bet Yondaime is very disappointed in this village," said Tsunade sadly.

Naruto shook his head. "No. He understands better than you what I went through but he also understands why. The Gods are not that cruel as to let a father watch his child tormented and nearly killed month after month without telling them why. Yondaime knows why the events played out the way they did as does Jijii. They are counting on me also. Believing in me. As you must."

"That I can do, Gaki. Believing in you is easy after all you've shown me. Letting you go is the hard part. It's letting you fight, knowing it will be the last I see of you, that's near to impossible."

"Oba-chan. Whoever said it was the last you'd see of me? Did I ever say that?"

"You said you'd be going away. Same thing Gaki." but Naruto shook his head.

"Nope. Not the same at all. So long as you want to see me, you will. I'll be right here." He pointed to her heart. "And right here." He pointed to her head. "So long as you remember and trust in your memories, no one can ever go away from you. You still see your other loved ones when you think of them. Right?" He paused to give her time to think and when she nodded slowly he continued, "It'll be the same with me. I promise."

With tears forming again Tsunade was struggling to find something to say when Jiraiya showed up hanging off the windowsill. "Hey Gaki. When'd you get here," he asked, jumping through the open window to stand on the floor in front of Naruto.

"A little bit ago. I stopped by to see where I'm to live now that the pests have found the cabin. What happened to your face this time?"

A huge grin spread across the Toad Hermits face as Tsunade, tears forgotten, started cracking her knuckles. Jiraiya stepped farther away from her before saying, "Oh your little ex-sparring partner got an up-close-and-personal Bird's Eye view of Tsunade-hime's girls and it totally freaked the poor lad out. I never saw that boy move so fast or be so scared in my life." He couldn't hold in his giggles but he did try.

"Oh so she sent you flying because of course you didn't have enough sense not to laugh outloud." Naruto shook his head mournfully. "When will you ever learn, Ero-Sannin?"

Jiraiya said, "Well, anyway there's no reason why you can't go back to my cabin. Everyone was convinced you weren't there before the fracas broke up. I don't think any of them will be back."

Naruto again shook his head. "You really don't think they'll give up, do you? The council wants my head on a platter and Danzo wants my power under his command. Sasuke wants to understand that he is truly stronger than anyone else in the Leaf and Sakura wants to make him happy. Do you really think they've given up just because they didn't find me today?"

"Well, that may not be true of Sakura any more," said Shizune, returning with a well-laden tray. She had a teapot and a bottle of very strong spirits as well as six teacups and shot glasses on the tray. As she set it down on the desk and began puring tea into the cups, she continued, "I heard from the grapevine that she told Sasuke she needed some time to think and they haven't seen each other since Tsunade-sama took her to task." She added a measure of liquor to each cup of tea before passing the brew around the room. The two guards downed theirs without any consideration for how hot the drink was and held out their empty cups, silently asking for a refill.

"And my old friend reports that she is doing a lot of soul-searching as she works on the lawn," added Tsunade, as she sipped the cup Shizune had poured for her.

Naruto just shrugged. He didn't really care one way or the other about the pink-haired girl. He had tried during his younger days to be her friend and she hadn't put forth an ounce of effort. Back then he had thought she was worth saving from the Harpy she was becoming but now he simply couldn't seem to care. Now there were bigger fish to fry that he needed to concentrate on and he couldn't afford to be distracted by a fan-girl trying to prove herself to anyone. He knew she had left the girl she had once been so far behind it would take a miracle to find herself again and he just didn't believe it was worth the effort.

Tsunade saw, in the expressions that flitted across his face, that he really didn't care and sighed. Internally, she muttered, "Sakura, you really blew it. How could you not see what everyone else, who has ever dealt with the Gaki, see so clearly? He's ten times the catch Sasuke will ever be." Changing the topic, she said outloud, "How about the Yondaime's old place? His get-away cabin. It is your place anyway seeing as how he was your father. It's only right that you get to spend at least some time enjoying what was yours by birth and it's secluded enough to give you the privacy you need. It's in the forest outside the walls and has it's own practice grounds. Lots of room for you to really come to grips with your techniques before you need them but not so far away that you won't be here where we can see you every day. I don't want to miss a single day with you."

"Is it still in Konoha? That's really important." Tsunade and Jiraiya both nodded and he said, "Ok. Where's it at?"

"Jiraiya can take you there and then go get the things he'll need. Don't argue with me, Gaki. It's not in your best interest to live alone right now and you know it. So he'll stay with you until the battle comes." She tossed a set of keys to Jiraiya and the two left the tower, along with Naruto's well fortified Anbu guards who would escort them there. One would stay on duty while the other went to get their replacements. Only when the Anbu Corp actually knew where the new safe-house was would these two guards be released from duty to go and get well and truly drunk.


	22. Chapter 22

**Disclaimer: Let's see. . . trash on the floor. Toys under foot. Food still on the table. Broken brooms. Broken vacumn. Nope no maid yet. Still don't own Naruto.**

Chapter Twenty-Two: A New Home

Naruto followed Jiraiya as they made a brief pit stop at his cabin for his clothes and his manuscript. He'd packed the animal food and some human food while Naruto had waited in the woods beyond the perimeters of the small place. While he was packing up, Jiraiya looked through the windows and spotted Sasuke standing under a tree across the street from the place. It was obvious the boy was watching for Naruto to come in or out. So Naruto was right. The boy hadn't been convinced after all. Well he'd have a long night of it since Naruto wasn't coming in. Sneaking out the back way, Jiraiya slipped into the woods without Sasuke being able to see him from his position across the street. He set the boxes he carried down beside Naruto and motioned for the young man to wait a minute more. Then he wwent to where he knew an Anbu was still stationed to guard the cabin.

"You missed a pest," he whispered when he found the guard. The Anbu turned to look at him and straightened their spine but said nothing. "The Uchiha is hiding in the shadows across the road from my cabin. It's obvious he's waiting for Naruto so why not give the pest something to see. Make it memorable and record it for me so I can watch it later." The Anbu nodded and Jiraiya knew there wasa very wicked grin being hidden by the opossum mask. He slipped back into the deepest shadows and made his way back to Naruto who had summoned clones to carry some of the boxes and crates Jiraiya had packed.

Then they took to hopping through the trees back towards the tower and over the wall past it. Their pair of Anbu guards ranged out, one in front of the duo and one to the rear. The two Anbu tried to see everything as they made their way through the trees of Konoha. The group saw Kakashi vainly rubbing a piece of sandpaper along one of the logs forming the wall while Anko leaned against a nearby tree. She looked bored out of her mind and all of them knew it would not be long before she began to take that boredom out on Kakashi. But Naruto wondered why Kakashi was doing the sanding that way instead of using his chakra to do it. Everyone knew the only way to build chakra stores was to use chakra in as much of everything as you could. Not only was this boring as Ell but it seemed a waste of time for a ninja. He stopped and dropped down beside the one-eyed man. He said nothing as Anko came up beside him and together they watched Kakashi sanding the wall.

"Why is he doing it this way? Are you making him do it the hard way for a reason?" he finally asked Anko.

"What do you mean? This is the only way to sand wood," said Anko. Her favorite snake laid curled on a sunny rock digesting the small rodent that had scampered too close to her. Sisthlis raised up and gave Naruto a sibilant greeting, which Naruto returned.

Naruto laughed as Anko said, "No, you may not taste him. And what do you mean his blood smells as cold as yours?"

"There's the chakra way, Anko." Naruto interrupted. He really didn't want the snake to tell her mistress anything else and a conversation with a snake wasn't why he had stopped to chat.

Kakashi stopped and turned to give Naruto an incredulous look. _What on earth? Cold blooded? Another way to sand wood? What was he talking about now?_

In the only answer Naruto was going to give, he stretched forth his hand and allowed his chakra to form around his fist. "You can do it like this also," he said. Then he sent a visible stream of the fistfull of chakra out towards the wall. Where ever it touched, the wood became smooth as silk and honey gold in color. Kakashi and Anko stood with their mouths open. They'd never seen chakra used like this before.

"You can use nature chakra, which everyone has a little bit of or no one would be alive, to force things into growing faster or stronger or out of season but you can also use it like this. Nature chakra is the force behind all living things. We tend to think of ninjas who can force things to grow fast or into a certain shape as being nature users but that isn't true. Or at least it isn't the most common use of the ability. Furniture makers also use nature chakra to make their products, as do those who make wooden instruments for celebrations. Most don't even have to fell the trees and plants to make their goods. They can get by on just what has fallen to the forest floor by using this method of sanding to find the good wood still held inside the log."

"This wall is alive, as is most wood products, so it responds to nature manipulation. A very fine control is needed to keep from blasting the log away but practice will make it easier and build your reserves at the same time. All it takes is a little bit of chakra per log because these logs have been cut already. They are alive, due to the liquid inside them, but they have no roots so they will not grow and, as the liquid inside grows more solid, they are more easily destroyed. The more life that is in the wood the more chakra you need to manipulate it but also the more leeway you will have with it. Each log will be different but you should be able to finish the task faster if you do it this way, don't you think, Sensei? Besides, you should know doing things the commoner way will not help you as a ninja, Sensei."

"Don't call him that. He doesn't deserve that title from you," snarled Anko, straightening up from here position. Sisthlis reared up on her rock reacting to the anger of her summoner. She turned her head towards her potential prey making sweat pop on Kakashi's forehead. A flickering tongue and a small slithering had Kakashi quickly retreating in fear.

Naruto motioned the snake to stay put and hissed at her in her own tongue. She stopped moving and dipped her head towards him in a show of respect she had never even bestowed towards Anko. Anko just stood there with her mouth open wondering how it was that Naruto could speak the language of the snakes. "It is my title to give and I choose to give it to him. You were not standing in his shoes. Your heart was not his heart. And so you do not know what demons he fought for they were not your demons."

Kakashi dropped his head in shame. "She is right, Naruto. I do not deserve that title. Maybe someday I will but not now. She had her own demons to fight and she did not give in like I did. I gave in on my own nindo."

Naruto seemed to give his words some thought but the truth was he was really just letting Anko process them. He already knew how far Kakashi had come in this journey of understanding through punishment. "I believe you are closer to it now than when you demanded it, Sensei. BAck then you thought yourself too good to waste time merely teaching and it never occured to you to earn the respect you wished to have. Like the Uchiha you thought yourself entilted. What you once demanded, I believe you now know must be earned." He paused and then added as an afterthought. "Sensei may not be the title you were born to wear but it is the title you will wear until I am told otherwise."

"I would suggest you use fallen logs to practice on so that you won't have to rebuild the wall every time you blast one to smithereens. When you are good at it, you will be surprised at how easy the work will go. Gotta run now. Good luck." He dashed back into the trees leaving a stunned Kakashi and Anko both looking at his after-image. _Title he was supposed to wear? What?_ Kakashi looked at Anko who was looking at him in puzzlement.

Both shrugged and he turned to some logs laying on the ground. "Shall we practice?" he asked her.

Naruto caught up to Jiraiya and the Anbu. Jiraiya asked where he'd disappeared to. Naruto told him and chuckled. "Kakashi-Sensei is so off-balance I'd be surprised to find he can stand up straight."

"I bet," growled Jiraiya. He was not nearly as forgiving a person as his student was and he knew Tsunade felt the same way. Neither of them would be forgiving Naruto's old team any time soon regardless of what Naruto wished. "Why are you so forgiving of that man? It makes no sense because I know you don't like him."

"Easy. What he did, he was supposed to do. No, I don't like him, and I doubt I ever will, but he had his role to play in my life to get me to this point and it was a role he could play. Kakashi-sensei has had a hard life, Jiraiya-sensei and I will not make his struggles less by disrespecting him now when he needs his strength most."

Jiraiya didn't pretend to understand but the answer had told him what he needed to know. Naruto wasn't acting off of some old instinct. He actually thought he should show Kakashi some respect for the struggles of the man's life to date. And Jiraiya had to admit Kakashi had not had an easy life. A genius never did it seemed.

They spent ten more minutes flying, or jumping, from branch to branch before they reached the small front clearing where the house was located. The two Anbu had stayed close by when he'd dropped down at the wall and they'd seen and heard every word that had passed there. They had also heard the words pass between the two men they guarded. The jutsu confused them but his words to the disgraced Jounin puzzled them more. Why was he so forgiving of the man? So what if he'd had a hard life. A lot of nin did but they didn't go abandoning their comrades to whomever came along and found them. It had been that jounins job not to leave any Leaf nins behind for capture or mutilation and he'd done that. As far as they were concerned that Jounin was a traitor and he was lucky he was not in prison or dead already. But it was not their place to pass judgement so they remained silent and kept their opinions to themselves. They knew the man had got off lightly. As soon as they made sure the premises were secure one of the Anbu broke off and headed back to the village for their relief shift.

The other hopped into a tree where she could keep watch on one side and the front door as well. The day had shown her a lot of things she had never thought to see. She settled in to think as she waited for her relief.

Jiraiya and Naruto went inside and began poking around in the various cabinets and cupboards they located. They found ramen and more ramen in the kitchen, which caused Jiraiya to groan while Naruto chuckled. In the bedrooms, they found clothes. All descriptions of clothes, from workout to formal. There were rags to fancy styles. It was obvious that the Yondaime used the place as a way to escape notice. His library was full of scrolls and books. There were scrolls of old fairy tales as well as bound scrolls detailing, they assumed, his most treasured techniques since each required what looked to be a drop of blood to open.

Naruto left Jiraiya peeking into things as excited as if he'd just stumbled upon a hidden hot springs full of gorgeous centerfold calendar girls. For a few minutes he just stood still in the doorway and watched as the old pervert sniffed and cackled his way around the room. He even got down on his hands and knees and was actively sniffing each join where two boards came together.

He smiled as he left to go explore the rest of the place. Four bedrooms made a lot of room, he thought, as he climbed the winding stairway. He checked into each wardrobe or cupboard but except for empty hangers or odd remnants of old outfits there wasn't much to see. He decided to go to bed and finish the exploring tomorrow. It had been a busy full day and he was more tired than he wanted to admit.

**Author Note: Ok, I know that it doesn't seem like alot happened in this chapter but a transition was needed and this was the best way I could think of to do it. I promise that very soon all your questions will begin to find answers. I hope you enjoyed the chapter and I'll see you as soon as I have the next chapter ready to load. Like this chapter, the basic information is already written. I just need to fill it out and proof-read it to catch what error I can. Remember, your reviews let me know when I miss something.**


	23. Chapter 23

**Disclaimer: Don't have maid Don't own Naruto**

**Author Note: I hit my English to Japanese translation site again and came up with a whole new bunch of names. Well I had to have the names in Japanese because I already knew them in english but this is supposed to be a story set in Japan so what can I say.**

**Anyhow here's the list:**

**Gogyou means the Five Elements (even though I use six this was the closest I could find)**

**Kaze means wind (pretty much a well known one I think)**

**Hinote-or-Faia means Fire (Hinote; male form Faia; female form)**

**Mizu means water (also female title of address hence her being female in the story)**

**Chi means Earth**

**Erekiteru means Electricity (closest I could find to Lightening)**

**Etai-sei means Nature**

**Boruto means Bolt**

**And finally Ametsuchi means Heavenly Bodies or The Universe**

Chapter Twenty-Three: Gogyou and Titles

The next morning he located Jiraiya in one of the other bedrooms and woke him up. Together they went down to the kitchen and made a small breakfast of fresh fruit nuts and toast. The nuts were brought to the door by the helpfulness of the forest inhabitants and someone had the good sense in putting a berry bush right outside the back door, making it much easier to gather berries for breakfast. They could literally stand right out the back door in their small clothes and pick their breakfast off the vine. After they were full, they cleaned up and got back to searching the house.

In the master bedroom, Naruto found a hidden compartment in the wardrobe. It required blood to open it, as he found out when he accidently pricked a finger on a splinter of wood. The compartment popped open, spilling a cloud of dust into the air and choking him in the process. Inside, laying on a faded silk pad, was a three pronged kunai and a yellowed note. He pulled both of them out of the cubby and was just about to examine them when he noticed another scroll tucked into the back. He pulled it out. The scroll hissed like a roaring fire and sizzled like a writhing bolt of lightening. He turned the scroll in his hands seeing the bits of ice clinging to it's ends with bits of hardened mud and wood caked between the edges and tears formed as he tried to slip a nail under the obviously brittle seal. The six elements, he thought with a smile.

Excitedly, he waved his hands in a complicated pattern in each of the six directions before biting his thumb and drawing the bloody finger along the edge of the sealed scroll. From tip to tip he left a smear of blood on the edge. When the whole length was covered he set the scroll on the floor where it ponderously unrolled itself. Snapping and snarling, the elements, Gogyou, poured out of the parchment. He watched as they formed into close approximations of people. When they were all out and standing just slightly apart from each other and not next to their rival they turned and grinned at Naruto. He grinned back and said cheerfully, "Hi guys. Long time no see. How ya been?" From the doorway came a muffled thump and every head turned in that direction to see a drooling, stupefied Jiraiya babbling without sound, and sitting on his rump while pointing at the Elementals.

Naruto sighed but rose to his feet and walked over to the old man. Carefully, he helped Jiraiya to his feet and led him to the bed. He helped him to sit down while Jiraiya never took his eyes off the glowing forms of crackling energy at the end of the bed. Once Naruto was satisfied with his position, he went back to the Gogyou and took his seat again.

"How come your scroll was here? And why didn't you just tell me to come here and get it. Could have saved us all a lot of grief."

"Weren't allowed to," rumbled Chi. He represented the Earth for them and his voice was the sound of rocks grating against each other to form dirt or sand. He was the most patient of them usually, though Nature could give him a good race in the area. But when Nature spoke she tended to say more than Chi did. Chi preferred short, explanative sentences that answered your question or told you what you needed to know without inviting more questions.

"Kami said you had to go in that place," sighed Etai-sei. Etai-sei was the representative of nature and the human population always tore her beautiful works of art up to make room for growth of their own kind. She wasn't a fan of humans in any way shape or form but she liked Naruto because he appreciated her efforts.

"Kami said you need to find the ones for whom he'll come," added Mizu, their water representative. Mizu was generally a tranquil being that took her time getting to whereever she was needed or requested. She was slow to anger but when she did get angry, she left no doubt you'd crossed the line. "She said we could not go in there no matter how much we might wish to."

"Well, I think I could have found them all out here without having to subject myself to the feeding frenzy but Kami knows what she's doing. I think." Erekiteru and Hinote both rumbled with laughter. Erekiteru was lightening personified into an electric bolt. Sometimes he answered to Boruto but his real name was unknown so it really didn't matter. Not even the representative of lightening knew what he'd originally been called. Hinote sometimes, depending on whether he wished to be perceived as male or female would be Faia instead of Hinote and was the embodiment of fire. Both were quicksilver in their temperaments and tended more to loudness and fast actions than careful planning and decisive reasoning.

"But anyway, why was your scroll here? That told me why you couldn't tell me but not why it's here."

"You have things still to learn don't you," stated Chi. The earth was the wisest and oldest of them all. Although the universe was older than all of them Chi had been created first since all the others needed his form to gain theirs. Together they formed Ametsuchi, or otherwise known, the Universe. As Ametsuchi, there was no power under the Gods themselves that could rival them but the forming of Ametsuchi took their complete agreement to be subjucated one unto the other and so it was not often they formed into their ultimate being.

"Yes. I do indeed have things still to learn. I still can not make all six of your powers form together in the same ball of chakra that I can wield. I can put as many as three of you together so long as your natures are not competitive but I can not make all six of you bind together."

"Our ultimate form. Good to know but have you as yet formed our lesser destructive forms? Opposites together first?"questioned Chi.

"You mean like fire and water together into one? You mean that would work without one canceling the other?"

"Humans use fire to heat water for bathing and cleaning and eating don't they?" asked Hinote.

"How do you think that happens if we cancelled each other out all the time?" asked Mizu.

"You must begin by mixing smaller forms and studying how they fit together to make the whole. Of course we can work together. If we couldn't there would be no world," added Chi. "I, Hinote and Mizu are basic elements but we are also all opposites. Fire warms my belly and keeps me on an even spin as I move through the heavens, collecting dust and debris. When I collect too much he pours out and burns some off. Mizu and I share the surface to keep our weight even. Without her I would weigh too much and spin out of control. Without me she would weigh too little and not be able to spin. Together with Hinote for help we can keep moving." It was a long statement for the quiet slow moving element but it was undeniably pure truth also.

"Erekiteru, Etai-sei and I are what's called secondary elements. We are just as important to life on this rock as the primary forces but we depend on the three of them for our existence. Without them, we can not exist. I can not blow the top off mountains without earth to put the mountain there or Etai-sei grow forests without his crumbling surface to mold and Mizu's waters to help them grow. Erekiteru shoots his yellow-white form across the skies from the effects of their constant motion. So you see we all need them."

Naruto thought about it. He slowly began to nod in agreement. "I see. You said when I saw you last time that the next time I saw you you'd be able to stay with me. Is that still true? Will Kami allow you to stay with me now?"

"Only until the battle draws nigh, young Warrior. Then to keep all in balance we must depart. But you will know by our departure that the time is at hand and to gather your forces together,"answered Mizu.

"I have found most of them but I have yet to locate Friend or Loyalty. There is just too many that could fit the first and not anyone who really fits the second." He gave his elemental friends a look that was at once laughing and asking for help.

Kaze, the wind element, got his message. He drifted across the room and laughingly said, "I would have thought he'd be the first one you'd recognize."

"Ero-sannin?! You got to be kidding me. All he ever wanted to do was write dirty books and peep into women's bathing rooms. Are you sure?" Naruto feigned shock at the idea of Jiraiya being someone that important to him.

His reaction worked as he hoped it would. He struggled to maintain his shocked and disbelieving expression as he watched Jiraiya sit up and fold his arms over his chest in a huff. "I'll have you know that I was always looking out for you."

Naruto didn't look too sure as he pictured his abortive attempt at an unscheduled flying lesson down the side of a canyon back when he was still an orange-wearing twelve year old loud-mouth. He watched as Jiraiya's expression grew glummer. Finally he burst into uncontrolled laughter. "Thanks Kaze," he gasped when he could finally talk again. "I was getting tired of waiting for him to ask."

Jiraiya went red. He didn't need the red make-up now. His natural shade made it look pale. "Well, I figured if I was important to you, you'd tell me, Gaki. It's not exactly the kind of thing you go around asking people."

"Like you told me so very much about the Rasengan and why you wanted to be my trainer, Ero-sannin? I knew it couldn't really have had anything to do with my own abilities or potential but it would have been nice to have someone tell me straight out why they wanted to train me." His expression grew sad as he remebered wondering if he was making a mistake in agreeing to go into the unknown with the make-up wearing pervert.

"I'm sorry, Gaki. I didn't know how to tell you. I knew you both loved and hated the Yondaime and I feared if you knew I was training you because I promised him to teach you his techniques you'd refuse to go with me. But I always wanted you to be safe and at that time Konoha was becoming too much of a trap for your safety."

Naruto nodded. "I know but still I wanted to believe it was just because I was me and yet I knew it wasn't." It was his turn to shake off the memories. A few minutes of silence fell over the room before he said, "But enough of the past. I've known since the three of you showed up at the shelter that you were Loyalty and Oba-chan was Trust." He titled his head to one side and asked, "Why do you think I would have gone with you otherwise?"

Looking embarrassed and sad Jiraiya said, "I honestly didn't know you were even capable of choosing not to. None of us did. You scared the 'ell out of us. I never want to see someone I care about in that shape again." Shaking off his memories, he asked, "Who do you think is supposed to wear the final one of those titles?"

"No idea. Friends were never really something I allowed myself to believe in. Too open to getting hurt just from knowing me and not worth the risk. There are several possibilities but none of them seem right." He sighed again. "That's why I had Shikamaru come by actually. Shogi and Go are fun games but I really need to find this person and I have no clue who it is."

"I take it that it's not him?"

"Nope. It could be Kiba but I doubt it. He's as competitive as I am but outside of battle we really don't have much in common. He thinks too much like the pact while I am an original thinker. It's the same with Shino. Lee is a friend but all he thinks about is training. Who ever this person is will be someone who fits this role on all levels of my life outside of battle."

"So tell me who are the possibilities and maybe I can narrow it down for you."

"Well, there's Neji, Chouji, Ino, Tenten, Anko, Kakashi, and Sakura that are left. I know for a fact it won't be the village's Cherry Blossom Special. Nor do I believe it is the other three girls which leaves only the guys. Neji, Chouji or Kakashi." He paused for a minute, "or maybe Konohamaru."

"I'll think on it tomorrow and see if I can come up with something that might point out why it would be one of them but how are you so sure it will be someone who fits your life as securely as the other title holders do?"

"Easy. These are people who are important reasons for me to fight. Important reasons for me to see the world continue on as it has, growing and evolving, developing new ways of doing things and new things to do to make your lives easier as you grow older."

"Then why are you so sure that it won't be, as you call her, "The Cherry Blossom Special"?

"Because she is more important to Sasuke than she ever has been to me. For him, she is the world and one day Sasuke will defrost his heart and mind enough to realize that. When he does, you will see what I mean. Just trust me, she can be nothing to anyone who is not him. She was born for him. She is what will complete him and when I am truly gone, he will need everything she can give him to survive."

"Ok. . . Well it's still possible it's one of the other girls but you have your reason for thinking it isn't so I'll let it rest until you've been through all the guys. Out of curiosity, why isn't Sasuke on that list?"

"He is important but I already know who he is. I know his title and I can do without the distraction of having him poking around trying to find out things he doesn't need to know until it is time to pull him in close. Sasuke can not help his competive nature and his desire for power has in the past, is now and will always be a driving need. He would try to copy the things I must learn if I am to prevail in the final battle. I can not let that happen or Kami will be forced to take actions neither she nor I want."

Jiraiya nodded his understanding. It was true that Sasuke, once he saw the power of the jutsu Naruto now used, would try to copy them but Jiraiya understood they were not for mortal hands. They were too destructive and he suspected the amount of chakra they required was beyond the amount any mere human could safely summon without destroying themselves. "What is his title? If you don't mind my asking?"

"You sure you want to know?"

Jiraiya considered not knowing but he liked to know everything. That's why he was a spy after all. He nodded.

"Sasuke is Family. That bond was formed when we graduated the academy and found out just how much we actually had in common. When we found we both knew loneliness in the same way. When we found we both went home to empty places where no one would be proud of our accomplishments. When we found we were the two strongest genins in our class. And we learned to share the quiet moments no one else ever saw."

"Did you know when Kakashi would make us stay in the village for that stupid festival, Sasuke would come find me and we'd slip away until it was over? Kakashi made us stay for Sakura's sake and so the villagers would have a decent chance of catching me for my yearly beating. They actually believe it brings them luck throughout the coming year if they can catch and beat me bloody during the festival. But Sasuke hated it as much as I did. For different reasons, of course, but that didn't matter. What mattered is neither of us wanted to be there. So we ran and hid out until the day after it when we'd come home. Kakashi would always grouse and we'd smirk knowing the reason why." He fell silent letting the memories play through his mind. "When he left us, that was what I missed him the most over. I couldn't accept that he was willing to let me face that alone again after all those times he helped me avoid it." He sighed and concluded with, "And that's why he wears the title Family. Because he is my family. My only family." He stood up and noticed for the first time that the Gogyou had scattered in different directions.

As he was about to leave the room Jiraiya asked, "Why, just because of all the things I know he has put you through, is Kakashi even still on your list?"

"Don't worry about it. Kakashi isn't the one meant to carry the title of Friend. There is or was a title for him but I don't know if he'll make his way back to it in time to carry it. All I really know is it will be a lot harder to win if he doesn't but this is his journey to traverse. And neither I nor anyone else can help him on it any more than he has already been helped. He must find his way back alone."

"And which title is his?" Jiraiya practically growled. It infuriated him to be classed in with him.

"You won't like it. Are you sure you want to know?" he asked again.

Once more Jiraiya thought it through and wondered did he really want to know? Yes he finally decided. "I do. I know I don't trust him and I know Tsunade-hime doesn't either but if he's important to you then I need to know how and hopefully from knowing how he's important then maybe I'll know how best to help you where he is concerned."

"He is Honor. Honor is something his father taught him before he could walk and when his father committed suicide, the action robbed Kakashi of the meaning of honor. Kakashi has been trying ever since then to redefine it but the true meaning has been the same he's always known it to be. He just needs to admit he does indeed understand it. And by admitting that, he will be able to forgive his Father for leaving him and his teammates and my Father also. He feels each of his precious people betrayed him for the sake of their honor, placing their honor above his need of them in his life. He sacrificed his own so as to not be required to make the same sacrifice as they each did. But by forgiving them, he can reclaim his own honor and no longer be manipulated as he has been since the death of the Yondaime. Once he does that, then he will be able to bear living his life by it's code again as he used to. Only then will he be able to carry the title for all mankind."

"And that's what each of you are doing. You don't carry the title for you yourself alone. You carry it for everyone. And for every person I find who can carry the weight of a title, it takes that much weight off of me in the battle. Any title I have not granted to another, before the battle is engaged, is one I myself must carry for mankind, lest it be lost for all time. And some titles are heavier than others. Yet to drop any of them is not a price I am willing to pay. Mankind has a need for each of the things the titles represent."

"You've given me a lot to think about and I'll need time to process it all but I will still help you to find this last person. Is he/she the only other person you need?"

"Well, there are the lesser titles but I can easily carry them if I must. I didn't tell Shikamaru but there's a possibility that he is to be the bearer of the title Wisdom. He does know more than any other person I know but I really don't know if that's good enough to consider him the holder of Wisdom."

"Just how many titles are there anyway?" sputtered Jiraiya.

"Not sure really but those are the important ones. Trust, Courage, Hope, Love and Loyalty being the Primary Titles that must stay in the world. Under no circumstanses is dropping them acceptable to either myself or Kami. Next comes Friend, Honor, Family and Wisdom. They are the secondary titles. It would be useful to have someone carrying them for me because they do carry more weight than you would think. But after those nine, if there are others, they will present themselves when the time is right. And, of course, the more I find, the less weight I will carry into the battle and the better the chance for our side to win the conflict."

"Not like that isn't enough to worry about. That's nine individual people for you to keep track of and in a battle every person is one more thing to distract you at a crucial moment."

"I am not alone in keeping you all safe, Ero-Sennin. Kami has been watching over all of you all of your lives. Though she can't interfere directly she has made sure to send you aid as you needed it. And of course there are the Gogyou who have also been helping you and the summons as well. So you see I am far from alone in this battle. As for our enemy he has his own things to be concerned over. Yes he will use any trick he can to win and yes he is a danger to us but he won't be able to use my people against me if I have identified them beforehand. You will all be moved to a safe location to await the outcome of the battle."

"Will he have chosen people also?"

"Yep. He will have someone to represent those things that suit his nature just as I have chosen for my own. Where I have Love, he will have Hate. Where I have Friend, he will have Enemy and that's why it is so important I find this friend."

"I see. After the battle, what happens to us? Both sets of titles as you say.

"He will vanish or I will vanish. Our representatives will remain here until the victor decides their fate. I am sorry. I would have liked for you not to ask those questions but you did. All I can really say is you better hope I win. I don't think you'll like his plans for my chosen if he does."

"Now I really need to go get some practice in. I have a lot to learn and a very limited time in which to learn it all."

"Don't forget that." Jiraiya pointed to the forgotten kunai and scroll.

"What is that anyway?"

"Your father's forgotten technique. He could use that kunai to immediately flash to whatever location it was in. He had several of them made and gave one to every important person so he could flash instantly to their side in times of need. He also had several in hidden locations throughout the village. So long as you know the location of one keyed to your blood you can go there. I'd imagine the scroll will tell you how to use it and where he got them made so that you can get your own done."

Naruto smiled sadly. "If I were going to live past the outcome of this battle than I could definitely see the long term need for this technique but we both know I'm not. Save it and teach it to the next young nin who comes long with the requirements to learn it. There will be someone. Believe in it."

"I am never taking on another student, Naruto. I've done this too many times already."

"Ero-Sennin, do not give up so easily. Kami rewards her children for every time they have been required to suffer great hurt to do her will. Somewhere out there is a boy or a girl with potential going to waste because no one sees. You will find him or her and you will see. A lonely child starved for attention and someone to care. A child screaming to be seen and recognized as existing. You will become their Sensei for me. For Kami. Then your heart will smile again. Because you need a student as much as I needed you."

"I don't know, Naruto. Every student I have taught, I watched helplessly as they died. I don't think I could handle that again. Too many deaths of important people . . . I'm just not sure there's enough of me left to do it again."

"Tsunade said something similar once but now she is the Hokage and a Sensei and a Doctor. If she can wear three hats on one head than I think you will find another young student with fire in the belly and determination in their eye. All you have to do is look. That student will do the rest and you will pass my Father's techniques on to him or her. After all, Rasengan and Hirashin should not die just because the Namikaze Clan did."

He walked out leaving a very old and tired feeling man behind on a crumpled bed. Jiraiya shook his shaggy mane and wondered just when had he gotten so damn old.

**Author Note: Sorry this update was soooo very slow in coming. I must say that although it is frustrating to try and write quality work with a house full of kids their presence isn't the only reason the update was slow in coming. I honestly will try my hardest to have the next chapter out no later than this time next week. Now that school is back in session I have at least five hours a day to work _mostly_ in Peace and Quiet.**

**Hubby: Rose are you complaining again?**

**Disclaimer: Who me? Complain? I do NOT complain, Dear.**

**Hubby: Uh-huh. Sure, Rose. Whatever you say. ( mumbles- -Sounds like complaining to me)**

**Disclaimer: I give reasons, Dear. I do not complain. After 15 years, you should know that by now. And where is my maid? If I didn't have to take time out to clean up after your Tax write-offs I could write faster and post more often you know.**

**Hubby: (turns to Rose) Huh? You say something?**

**Disclaimer: Grrr . . . Go watch the idiot box and let me get this posted.**

**Hubby: Yes Ma'am**


	24. Chapter 24

**Disclaimer: Hubby bought me something. . . Come out little maid girl . . . checks in the closet. . . come out where ever you are. . . checks under the bed . . . it's not nice to play hide and seek. . .besides in this house that's dangerous. **

**Hubby: Honey what are you doing?**

**Disclaimer: Oh I'm looking for the maid you got me when you bought me the copy-rights.**

**Hubby: Uh Hon I bought you a microwave.**

**Disclaimer: NANI!! Whaaaaaa I still don't own Naruto Whaaaaaaa**

**Author Note: I don't normally respond to critiques in story but I finally got a suggestion on a review. Actually that's why this chapter is so late in coming out. I had to think about whether or not the idea fit the story. ****Hawkgirl90**** I am sorry but Sakura can not be the title of forgiveness as in my story she has never once forgiven anyone for anything in her entire existence. To be the bearer of a title means you embody that aspect. Therefore if she is the one asking for forgiveness it would be the person she has to ask who would embody it. But you are correct that forgiveness is a quality human beings need and it will be represented. And there really is only one person in the entire Narutoverse who can carry that title.** **But don't worry. I have not forgotten her. Just keep reading.**

Chapter Twenty-Four: Growing

In the village, while Tsunade and Shizune were working with their clones, Sakura was trimming hedges and listening as old Mrs. Tsu told of her younger days when she'd had a choice between three suitors. "Of course back then I thought I could settle for nothing less than the best the town had to offer and that young man, of course, was not the least bit interested in the likes of me. I was just a poor commoners daughter. I would not inherit a grand home or rich estate. A title would not fall onto the head of my betrothed."

"I would inherit my fathers business only if my uncle passed on before my father did. Otherwise, even that jewel would pass into my cousins capable hands. All I was entitled to was a dowry and a husband of reputable nature."

"But the young are full of themselves and their own importance is the light that shines brightest for them. And so it was with me. I saw not those young men of my station and fixed my eyes upon him. The one in the golden coat and shoes that did not step but rather glided across the ground."

"Careful there, Dear. You almost snipped the rose bud off it's perch again." Sakura gasped and paid closer attention to what she was doing but kept listening with her ears. She used to think old people were boring but this old woman could paint pictures with her mind that would take her to a time before she was born and show her a world of romance and intrigue she had never known.

"Now where was I? . . . Oh yes. The golden clothed young man saw only a fair beauty high above my lowly station and, luckily for him, she saw him as well. She was just as smitten with him as he was with her and, a month after I saw my prince of a boy, his father announced the betrothal of the two great houses. The girl, who was my rival and far above me, was to be his wife. I was green-eyed with jealousy and tore my father and mother to shreds for not being rich enough to get him for me. Mother kept telling me to be thankful for what I have while father warned of being glad of small favors. I, of course, had no idea what he was talking about and continued to rale against everyone."

"One day a few months after the wedding festival I was helping mother, grudgingly I'll admit, to take around the healing herbs and charity baskets to the shut-ins who couldn't get out in the cold wet weather. I hated this chore, and normally found a way to get out of it, but Mother insisted and so I went with her carrying the basket of herbs on my back. At first everything went normal but then we reached her house."

"And there my world shattered. The lovely young woman, I had thought so lucky to be highborn enough to attract that golden robed young man's eye, was laying on the far bed in a broken heap. Everywhere she was battered and broken. I stood rooted to the spot as my mother tended to her injuries and as we finally left I asked my mother what had happened to her. My Mother told me something then that I never forgot to this day. _What looks pretty and delicious on the outside is often rotten and horrible on the inside._ She proceeded to tell me the young wife was to be kept alive until she birthed the boy's child. Once he had his heir then she would be allowed to die in peace. I asked my Mother why not just allow the girl to die now and she looked at me as if she didn't know me at all. I didn't understand what I had said wrong. The girl was in terrible pain and nothing a girl could ever have done would have justified that kind of beating if she still had her hair and head. It seemed cruel to me to force her to live just to bring him an heir into the world.

But when I told Mother that she asked if I really wanted to see another young girl walk into his bedchamber. I was shocked. He had done that to her in their bedchamber? I shook my head and mother said that she was his wife. It was her duty to provide him an heir and by fulfilling her duty she would save another her fate. The boy was being kept alive until the successful birth of the child because the old man, who was his father, needed a suitable heir but as soon as it was born he would meet the headsman's axe. To be fair her father-in-law had given her the choice. If she had wished to die and deny him a child of her body he would order it done. But she chose to save another from her fate."

"A few months later a little girl was born and on the mid-wife pronouncing the girl fit to live the young man, whom I had in all my ego found to be worthy of me, met his fate. His beautiful head was separated from his golden robes as his young wife took her last breaths also. She had survived him by mere moments but it was enough to bless the girl's life with hope for a better tomorrow."

"Ever since then I have tried to be worthy of that young woman's story. To pass on the wisdom I learned from her to others I see who've made my mistake. Who've treasured something for how it looks rather than seeking the value of what it is. I know she was probably in the beginning just as vain as I was but by the second time I met her she had gained a wisdom I had not. She had learned to put the welfare of others ahead of herself and maybe she always knew that. At her station she didn't have a lot of choices about her life. A convent or a political marriage. She chose the marriage and tried to make the best of it. He was just the wrong choice."

"But today young women in villages like this one have way more choices than we did back then. All you have to do is open your eyes and your heart to see which is the right path for you."

"And I am like you were, aren't I? Wanting only what is pretty and shiny and attracts the most attention from others."

The old woman said nothing and just let Sakura work it out herself. It was enough her cousin had died to that horrible young man. Sakura didn't need to know how close she herself had come to that death on a bed also. She had found out after that visit that if the young woman had chosen to deny the child existance she would die and Mrs. Tsu would take her place as the bride of the young man within that year. The Old Man had known the _Golden Boy_ was his only chance at an heir and even if a multitude of girls lost their lives, the boy would live until his offspring survived. But that didn't mean the Old Man thought the sacrifice of those girls lives were meaningless. In a society were women were possesions he had been willing to take any survivng child as his heir so long as it carried his blood. The girls of the village were just lucky that Mrs. Tsu's cousin valued them over herself and chose to live long enough to birth the child.

After a look towards a faroff cemetary where the young woman was buried, she hobbled out of her chair and went back inside leaving Sakura to her thoughts and trimming work. The girl was settling down finally. Getting over the angry remorse she'd first shown and working past the tearing down of her own merits to her own detriment. Now she just had to get her to really look at those she called friends and figure out, if they were than, why were they her friends. Of what value were they to her and she to them. Once the girl did that, she'd be ready to re-embrace the world of people and she'd be ready to find the love she sought. By that time she would know herself well enough to understand what she had to offer the young man she was destined to be with. And yes Mrs. Tsu truly believed there was a person for every soul born they were destined to be with through all eternity no matter how many times they took a turn on the wheel of life. For Shinobi she knew the chances of living long enough to find their soulmate was extremely slim but she'd known when she first laid eyes on the green-eyed girl she would find hers.

Kakashi was making progress on the wall. He and Anko had spent the night learning by touch how to use chakra to sand the wood. When they could sand medium sized chunks without blowing them into smithereens or splitting off little toothpicks for Genma then they moved on to larger surfaces. They were still working with living wood rather than cut wood but Kakashi didn't expect to get it over night and Anko was too surprised there was something she could learn, to mention that they were supposed to be sanding the wall. Well he was anyway. Tsunade hadn't given a time limit on it and so, as long as he wasn't breaking any of the rules Anko didn't mind taking time off to learn a new skill. Who knew when she might be able to use this new ability in an interrogation?

But now he was running low on chakra and he said, "Anko, we need to take a break. We've been doing this all night and I'm running rather low now. Let's go get some food and rest and hit it later this afternoon. Please."

Anko finished the chunk of log she had been smoothing and noticed it was very rough along the edges. She nodded and sent her summon back before leading the way to his apartment which was closer than hers was. On the way Kakashi decided to talk to her again. He'd given up the idea of trying to get out of her bad graces and now just accepted he'd never be one of her favorite people.

"Anko, why do you think no one ever thought of working the wood like that before?"

"I don't know. Probably because there isn't much call for it in the battlefield. Look how long it's taking us to sand each log we worked on and what's the application in the battleground? I can think of a nasty trap you could set using it but you're still going to need a lot of time to set it up and it will take skill to maneuver the enemy into it. Most of the time you don't get to choose the battlefield that well in advance and if you do it's because you're fighting on your home turf. And there you wouldn't want to be laying traps waiting for the enemy to walk into them. It might just be your own that get caught."

"What kind of trap?"

"Well, you could peel the wood up into spikes like small senbons and coat them with poison so that when the enemy gets pricked by them he gets poisoned. But like I said it would take a long time to set it up and then you take the chance of an innocent getting caught in it first."

"Yeah, that's not so good. Especially if you use the poison but what if you did it in an area where you know the enemy is going to move and instead of spikes had the trees form branches to block their way, turning them back towards you where you were waiting for them? Wouldn't that work better?"

"Only if you had enough chakra to make it work fast but it seems to me that nature manipulation isn't a fast manipulation. I think most of us don't use it because not only do we not know we can but because it's too slow for us. We need to be able to cast on the fly, so to speak, and nature is patient. Probably why I have such a hard time with it anyway. Patience isn't my strong suit."

"Yeah, I'm lightening, water based. I'm not known for my patience in battle either but I'd be willing to learn if it'll help him complete his goal."

Anko's eyes flashed as the comment brought back to her exactly how bad this man had treated one of the only people who had ever really seen her as just a human being. "You aren't learning this to help him. He's helping you," she snapped. She stepped ahead of him through the gate and walked up the path to his front door.

He sighed. He'd said the wrong thing. Again. "What do you think he meant about that title thing? I know damn well I was never a good or even decent sensei to him but it almost sounded as if there was a different one he was supposed to give me."

Anko just shrugged. As far as she was concerned it didn't matter to her one bit. The village had given him a title for Naruto and He'd blown it. Naruto had done his part. Kakashi had chosen his path also. Now he had to walk it. She moved into the kitchen and raided his refrigerator. She pulled out some food and some pans from the cabinets. Motioning towards the bathroom, she sent him on his way while she got the food going.

After he finished his shower, he took over while she showered and then they ate before crashing out for a few hours. Kakashi slept alone in his room while Anko sprawled out on his small couch. Good thing she was a fairly small person, she thought as she wiggled around to find just the right position for a comfortable rest.

Banging on the door brought them awake. Not being a person who liked being woken up for any reason, Anko growled and went to answer it while Kakashi stopped in the hallway just out of sight of the door. She was not in a good mood and he didn't wish to make her mood any worse than it already was. He knew full well there would only be Anbu or one of his two students standing there and he had a feeling it wasn't Anbu. Sure enough standing outside was Sasuke. He tried to push his way past her into the small place but she knocked him back. He was so surprised he lost his balance and fell on his butt. From his seat on the ground he blinked up at her.

"Bitch, get out of my way. I need to see Kakashi and I'm going to see him now." Kakashi winced. _Big mistake Brat,_ he thought. Noone ever got away with calling Anko a Bitch to her face and only the ignorant would do so when she was already ticked off.

"No, you aren't. Kakashi is restricted from seeing any members of Team Seven for any reason. He has not sought you out which is good because I do not have to punish him but if you care for him at all you will not force him to see you either. Else I will still have to punish him. And for that comment I just might punish you if you are still here in three seconds."

Past caring, Sasuke snapped, "I will see him and I will see him now! I have been waiting out here all morning for the two of you to come back from your breakfast date and personally I don't care what kind of bedroom games you are playing. Go away. He and I have business to discuss and your little games aren't part of it."

"I told you. Kakashi is not allowed to see you. That is not by his order. It is by the Hokage's. Go pester her if you wish to be a nuisance. I'm tired." She turned on her heel and slammed the door in his face but not before summoning three little snakes to take her revenge on the arrogant brat.

He pounded on it for a few minutes before going around to Kakashi's bedroom window just to find the bed empty and Anko standing at the foot of it with her arms crossed while the second largest snake he had ever seen lay on the sill just daring him to put his tender flesh within range. He turned around and stormed off. Next time that stupid snake woman wouldn't be around.

He just wished he knew what the 'ell was going on around here. First Naruto comes back and is really messed up. Then he doesn't want to see them but Kakashi is white as a sheet. Then Sakura is glum and morose and doesn't want to see him while she thinks some things over and finally _that female_ tells him Kakashi can't see him. That he'll get punished if he does. Who the 'ell gave her the right to punish the great Copy-nin? Kakashi was one of the greatest of the Leaf shinobi. Very few people had a higher standing than he did.

Ok, he can understand Naruto being messed up but his brother would have to be dead not to want to fight with him to test themselves. As for Sakura well, that was neither here nor there. She'd come around when she was ready and girls did seem to have to do this thinking-things-through stuff sometimes. He'd just never noticed before how long it could take. But Kakashi . . .man that was just beyond weird. He didn't understand what was going on there at all. Sakura and Kakashi were the only two he felt he could really trust and count on when the chips were down and he needed for someone to have his back, since he'd come back. Been forced back. But still come back.

He knew something had happened in Tsunade's office. Something that had an awful lot to do with Naruto but he had no idea what. No one would tell him and he didn't know why. All he knew was he wanted to see his friend again and he wanted to have his important people back. Naruto, Kakashi and Sakura. Was there anyone else if he lost any of them? He already knew there wasn't. Naruto had been gone for six long years and for more before then but for those first few years he hadn't even considered trying to find another to fill his shoes. During those last six years, about the only times he didn't think of him were when Sakura or Kakashi were trying to turn his brain off but even then he'd never tried to find another friend who was like a brother to him. He had never even let anyone else close enough to try.

His feet took him to the cemetery where all his kin were buried and he stopped in front of his Mother's grave. He never felt the little snakes as they bit his ankles before disappearing into small puffs of smoke. He stepped to the side and knelt between the headstones. His Mother. His Father. Both right here and yet so very far away. So close but yet they couldn't be farther. The hallucination began seemlessly as he thought of what he'd lost. He never saw his fingers tremble as they brushed away the stubborn moss from the engraving on the stones. He never felt the tears that fell down his cheeks or felt the moisture as it dripped into his collar. All he knew is the questions stopped for a few minutes as he smelt his mother's perfume mingled with his fathers cologne. He was at peace as he felt the whisper soft caress of their love reach out to him from his Mother, as it always had in life, and from his Father, as he wished it had but never did. But right here right now he even forgot that. He just let himself feel their love and acceptance. From the graves all around him he seemed to feel the acceptance from the soule of the person it represented. Aunts. Uncles. Cousins. Here, now, today, it seemed they all saw him and loved him. They all accepted him as they never had in life. Here now today it was not Itachi they saw as the prodigy. Right now he was their everything and in his delusion he reveled in the feeling.


	25. Chapter 25

**Disclaimer: Let's see. . .3 boys bouncing off the walls making a mess. . .1 2-tailed lump sitting at the other comp. . . dirty laundry and dishes everywhere. . . nope still don't own Naruto**

Chapter Twenty-Five: Advice From an Odd Source

In the village Naruto's old friends were gathered at the Ramen stand he used to favor. Teuchi and Ayame knew Naruto hadn't been in once since his return. They too, were confused since they had seen him around the village a few times. They knew the boy had loved their food and didn't understand what had kept him away now. They'd always made it clear to all their customers that he was a favored customer and anyone who displeased them by treating him rudely would be thrown out and never served again. But now he'd been back for months and he didn't stop in once. They just didn't understand. Teuchi was sad thinking maybe they'd done something or someone had said they had. Maybe there was a misunderstanding of some kind and the boy just didn't know how much he was missed.

Ayame saw her father growing more and more depressed by the day. She didn't know what if anything could be done about it but she vowed to find some way to help her father. If someone had spread a hurtful rumor than they needed to know so they could set it right. If Naruto was staying away because he just wanted to then he needed to know how much pain it was causing. Whatever the reason it had to be resolved. She removed her apron and told her father she'd be back before heading to the tower to see if she could speak to Lady Tsunade.

Kiba morosely ate his ramen, twirling the sticks in the bowl between bites. "Why do you think he doesn't want to see us anymore? Did we do something to upset him?," he asked.

"No Kiba. He just has a lot on his mind now that he didn't before. Before it wasn't so much a question of who could he trust but how far could he trust someone," answered Shikamaru.

"But he could trust me. I wouldn't ever hurt him." Kiba was getting loud again.

"And if Kurenai-sensei told you to take him out? Could he trust you then?"asked Shino.

"She wouldn't do that," protested Kiba.

"She would if she was ordered to Kiba. She would if she thought he'd hurt one of her team. There are conditions under which none of us can trust another. It's the business we're in. We know and understand that but for him it's different and it always has been," explained Shikamaru.

Temari was sitting with them and she tried to explain things so that they would understand. "It's hard for you guys to understand why he's acting this way but really this was bound to happen sooner or later. In a way, he's trying to protect all of you. He knows the council doesn't like him any better now than it ever did but now they're desperately afraid of him. He survived something no normal person should have and the council is afraid he is back here for vengeance. Naruto is concerned they will use anyone he is close to, or shows a preference for being around, against him. He has allowed only those he believes to be well protected or safe to come for visits. Hinata has the protection of her clan to rely on. Her father and cousin will allow no one to harm her for her association with Naruto. Tsunade-Hokage is safe because of who she is and she extends that protection to Iruka-sensei also. Jiraiya is untouchable because of his Sannin status. But the rest of you don't have such powerful protectors. Your families aren't that high of a rank or as powerful in their own rights. Naruto knows he can't be everywhere at once and now that he has survived to return he's done pretending. Pretending that it doesn't have a high cost if ever he is not in the right place at the right time. It''s the same for all Jinchuuriki but at least Gaara had Kankuro and I. No one could hurt us for our association with him because we were born associated."

"But how can we convince him we are willing to take that risk? He's our friend. He's one of us."

Shikamaru answered, "We can't. No matter what we say he wouldn't believe we knew what we are risking and he wouldn't accept our sacrifice. He may be one of us to us and maybe even to him but as far as the village is concerned we are two different types of people. They will never accept that he is just like us."

Temari agreed. "That's true. The villages never will accept a jinchuuriki."

"Then if they won't accept them they should make them," said Choji between bites of chips. He had long since finished his ramen and gone back to his favorite type of snack foods.

Shikamaru smirked. "True, Choji, but that's always the problem. They make them, figuring they can control them but then the vessel proves to have a mind of it's own. A moral code all it's own and they find they can't control them after all. With Naruto, though, there wasn't much other choice. It was either make him a vessel or watch the Kyuubi kill us all."

"My father had a choice with my brother but he was afraid Konoha would be able to control the child they'd just made and it would tip the balance of power in the world even more strongly in Konoha's favor. So he and other rulers tried to copy the process Konoha used. But they weren't willing or didn't have the skill to pay the same price and so their products turned out to be flawed. Naruto has done a lot in his time to correct as many of those flaws as he can but he can't do it all."

"Anyway, whether or not the village accepts him doesn't solve our problem. We all agree we want to see our friend again and we gathered here to figure out how to make that happen," said Kiba, feeding a dog treat to Akamaru out the window of the ramen stand. His companion had finally gotten too big for Teuchi to allow inside so he laid on the sidewalk outside and tried to stay out of the way while the gang was inside.

"Yosh. We need to see our most youthful companion. I am sure he has not allowed the fires of his youth to dim to such a point where he has grown weak and timid of the village," added Lee.

"That's what we are telling you," said Neji. "We can not force him to do something he may have good reason for not doing."

"I don't care what his reasons are. We are all part of one big group and while he was gone we had to accept it but he's back now and we don't anymore. It's time he realized he doesn't get to make this choice," declared Kiba.

"So because you want to hang around with him and let's face it, battle him, he should be forced to accept your company, Kiba?" asked a new voice from the curtained entry. Sakura had decided to stop for lunch not realizing everyone else was gathered there already. "I admit there was a time, not too long ago, when I thought the same way but I realize now just how wrong that is. I tried to make Naruto be who I wanted him to be. I treated him way worse than you ever did but still you are trying to tell him who he must hang out with and that is the same thing. It's the first step. May I please have one bowl of Vegetable Shrimp Ramen?"

"No, it isn't. I won't make him just stand there while I beat him to death. Then mock and ridicule him for his injuries. I want him to fight back. I want to see how strong he is and to let him see how strong Akamaru and I have grown. When I fight with him it isn't to beat him down or build myself up. There's a difference," growled Kiba.

"Not in this case, there isn't. You know he doesn't want to see any of us but you want to force him. How is that any different from Ino forcing him to ask me out to cheer me up? Or me beating the crap out of him and then refusing to heal him? Or only asking him to join a party because he'll make the party happen? Or forcing him into a spar he doesn't want before you'll answer a question or show him a move? I'm sorry I fail to see the difference. In each case it's someone forcing Naruto against his wishes to do something we want done with no regard to what he wants or even why he didn't want it." She accepted the bowl of ramen and just as Naruto had shown her long ago she dug into the noodle mess of shrimp and vegetables. "Thank you, Teuchi. It's delicious as always."

The group at the large table fell quiet as they thought over what she had said. She was right in an odd way. They were all trying to force Naruto to change his mind and allow them back into his circle but none of them really knew why he wouldn't. And there was every possibility that he did indeed have a good reason for it. Most of them were looking back over their years of friendship with the blond and wondering just when they'd ever just done something for him without expecting something in return. Heads drooped as they realized maybe she had been more right than they thought. None of them could think of anything or any time they'd done something for him just because they could.

Only Hinata did not drop her head. She had given him presents on his birthday and special holidays ever since she had realized no one else ever did. She had made it a point to be nearby when he was upset in case he needed a friend to talk to. It wasn't much but she knew, from her own lonely childhood, how much it could mean. So she held her head up as one by one her friends dropped theirs. She shared a look with Sakura as Sakura finished her ramen and paid for the bowl before leaving.

Sakura went back to Mrs. Tsu's home and got to work on the front flower bed. She'd seen some small weeds trying to poke through the mulch and while she plucked them out she thought about what she'd said to the gang. She was right, she knew, but was she right to say it. That look Hinata had given her seemed to suggest that she had been but she was so unsure of herself these days she just didn't know.

"Well, hello. I thought you were finished for the day, Dear?" asked Mrs. Tsu, sitting down on the stoop to watch the girl work.

"Umm. I ran into the gang when I went for ramen and I needed to think so I came back to get these weeds."

Mrs. Tsu cocked her head to one side and studied the girl on her knees. The girl had become gentler over the last few weeks of steady gardening. She was no longer a bundle of suppressed rage looking for an outlet. Maybe it was time to begin the next step?

"Why don't you tell me about it? Sometimes just putting your thoughts into words helps to sort them out and make things clear."

"Well, I went to get that ramen I told you Naruto created and all the old gang was there. Well, most of them. My cell wasn't but that's not unusual with the way we all behaved. Are still behaving. But anyway when I pushed through the curtain I heard Kiba, he's the one with the big dog, trying to convince everyone that they needed to force Naruto to see them regardless of what he wants. I told them it was as wrong to do that as what I did to him was. That although what I did was worse, it began the same way, with me forcing Naruto to do as I wanted him to do. They didn't agree and I can see their point but it's only different because I was in a position to go farther and I did. If they had been in my shoes maybe they wouldn't have gone that far but then again maybe they would have." She spread her hands. "I guess I'm just trying to figure out if I should have kept my mouth shut or not."

Mrs. Tsu nodded and sat in quiet thought for a few minutes. She was waiting to see if her pupil would say anything else and she wasn't disappointed.

"I asked them to tell me how their own past behavior was any different than my own had been but I also admitted that my behavior was totally wrong. I think I did the right thing but I guess I'm just not sure of the rightness of my thoughts right now. I went so totally overboard into what was good for Sakura that I never realized when I was doing things that not only weren't good for me but were hurting others." She smiled. "I'm finding my way back but I'm just not quite sure of my steps yet I guess."

"You're doing fine, Dear. You made the right choice today in telling them that. Not only have your friends seen that you are changing but you helped them to realize they also might not have been the friends they thought they were while they looked down their nose at you. It is always easier to cast stones at others then it is to look in the mirror."

Sakura nodded and thought it over as she pulled more of the tiny weeds. Mrs. Tsu continued. "It takes courage to face the image in the mirror but once it's done and you've seen the truth of the image then it only takes small steps to correct all the mistakes that made all the flaws. That face is never pretty but once you begin trying to change, it gets prettier with each passing day. Soon will come the day when you will look and see a beautiful young woman looking back and you'll know you're ready for someone special and, like me, you'll turn around and find him waiting there for you. But chances are Mr. Right will not be your Golden Robe guy."

"You think Sasuke isn't the right guy for me?" She had come to accept that, for her, Sasuke was and always would be the Golden Robed boy from the tale Mrs. Tsu had told her.

"Did he tell you of the hurt and pain you were causing? Did he ever make you question what you thought of others? Did he once chastise you for how you spoke to a friend? Or did he just take what you gave him as his due? What did he do to earn your favor? Did he give you something special that only he could have given you? There are many questions like that for you to answer. And each one needs a yes answer for him to be Mr. Right. A truthful yes answer. Sometimes we think our heart wants someone but the truth is, it's our brain that wants them. Now I will leave you to your thinking and go make some lemonade." She went back inside and left Sakura to it.

At the ramen stand everyone had broken off in separate directions. They all had some serious thinking to do and none of them were feeling any too good after what Sakura had said. They all wondered just how often had they used Naruto for their own ends and disguised it as being his friend. None could say for sure but all had the feeling that face in the mirror was biting off their nose to spite their face.

Temari stood watching them split into separate groups with Hinata, Shino, and Shikamaru beside her. "Well, do you guys think they got the point finally?" she asked.

Hinata and Shino nodded while Shikamaru answered, "Maybe. I know Ino got it but Kiba is pretty thick headed and Lee is obsessed with training and youthfulness being best expressed by training constantly. That doesn't leave a lot of room for other ideas. Chouji already understood it though. I believe Tenten, like Ino, understands now."

Behind them, Teuchi groused, "Well, I don't. Gaki used to love my Ramen. I came to love that boy like my own son and he hasn't even stopped in for a bowl."

Shikamaru raised a brow as Hinata walked back over to the counter. "He still eats your ramen Teuchi-san. I take it to him when I stop by for take-out. He does not want you to get hurt or taken hostage by his enemies in order to force him against his will into the open. Please understand," she begged the Old Man. "He is only trying to protect you and Ayame-san."

"You take my take-out to him?" he asked her. She smiled and nodded.

"One miso and one pork, one chicken and one vegetable beef that I take out are for him."

Teuchi smiled the biggest smile any of them had seen him wear ever since news had begun to spread that Naruto had returned. In those early days every customer was greeted with that same sunny smile until the old man realized it wasn't the golden haired boy. Then the smile would fade away until the next person appeared at the restaurant flaps. "In that case, Young Woman, you tell me next time and I will be sure to make his bowls extra filling since I know how much he loves my ramen."

Hinata nodded and with the gentle smile she was known for she went back outside to her companions who were waiting for her. Shino would walk her home and Temari and Shikamaru were waiting to walk with them.

**Author Note: I know this chapter took a long time to post. But I had lost the whole story for a while on my computer. I had to take it to the doctor. (pets computer tower) Poor comp got a sick motherboard so it needed the doctor's attention. Anyway, he saved my documents so I wouldn't lose them. Only thing was I had a hard time finding WHERE he saved them and then getting them to where I could actually access and load them. But I have found them now so maybe I can get the rest of this story out for you. Once again I sincerely apologize to all of you who have so patiently waited for me.**


	26. Chapter 26

**Disclaimer: No I still don't see those copy rights in my mailbox. I guess I'm still not the owner of Naruto.**

**Author Notes: We're getting to the end of the story. I promise. I can see the end of the idea. Really I can.**

Chapter Twenty-Six: Friends and Allies

In her office, Tsunade was patiently listening as Ayame laid out her case for how Naruto was hurting her father. She had a slight headache but she was trying to be polite as she let the young woman make her point. If only she'd get to it. Ah, finally. It seemed as if she was finally going to say why she'd come here. She stopped daydreaming and started listening again.

Ayame said, "Even if he doesn't like ramen anymore or doesn't remember liking it, Father is hurting because Naruto never even looks into the shop when passing. He used to never pass by without a wave at least but now it's like he doesn't even know we are there. Father is worried someone said or did something to upset Naruto and he hasn't done anything about it and that's why Naruto isn't coming in any more. Because he's upset with us, he's ignoring us until we fix it. But we can't fix it cause we don't know what it is. If you could get him to tell us, or maybe, find out for us, I'm sure Father will make it right."

"It's nothing like that, Ayame. It's really nothing to worry about. For six years, he lay near death in a cold cave. He ate nothing, in all those years, that wasn't provided by the forest. The animals literally fed him because he could not feed himself. He isn't avoiding you or your father. He honestly just doesn't remember. Reassure your father that the two of you did nothing wrong and I will speak with Naruto when I see him again. I know he won't come into the village anymore. The council is waiting for that but it's possible he will have the two of you come to where he is if you are willing. He won't ask for anyone to come see him because he feels that is forcing them to accept his presence and he doesn't want to do that. That's why Shizune keeps a list of everyone who asks. I knew I might miss someone who considered him to be an integral part of their day or week so she has the list."

"You mean he actually thought we might not want to see him? And all we had to do was come put our name on the list?"

"Well, yes to the first question and not exactly to the second. Some people, he has already refused to see for various reasons, which knowing him as I do, makes total sense and other people I won't even mention to him, as they were never his friend before his absence. That list is only for known friends who wish to see him but haven't yet. When I leave tonight I will take him the list and see who he says yes to and who he says no. Those who get a yes I will call here tomorrow and we'll set something up. That way we can protect him at the same time his friends get a chance to say hi again."

"Oh well, we want to see him whenever and wherever he'll see us. I can understand him not coming into town anymore but I hope he will let Father make him some miso when we get to come visit. If he lets us. I'll be sure to explain it to Father and maybe he'll cheer up now." Ayame got up and left the office, stopping briefly by Shizune's desk to add her and her father's names to Naruto's requested visitor list.

After she had gone, Shizune got up and came in with the list. "What do you think? Will he see them?" she asked.

"I honestly don't know. I don't know if he's even aware of how much those two have done for him over the years. I know he knows they allowed him to eat at their stand even when he didn't have the money to pay for it but I don't know if he's aware of the rest of it. If he doesn't, then I think I will push for it. They deserve to see him, after all they've gone through on his behalf, but he also deserves to know just who his real friends were all along." They honestly didn't know Naruto had already been getting Hinata to pick up Ramen for him from Teuchi.

Shizune nodded and the two women got down to work on the reports. For some reason, no matter what there was always at least three stacks of reports every day.

While all of this was going on Naruto was working in his backyard with the fire and water elements. He had summoned two hundred clones and divided them by element. Half would work with the fire element while the other half worked with water. Each clone was paired off with another from the opposite group so that one fire worked with each water. They tried every possible combination they could think of for combining the two elements together as Mizu and Hinote stood watching.

While his clones worked on that Naruto himself ran through his kata and then summoned another hundred clones for sparring partners. He jumped from one move to the next in a blinding whirl of movement. When he finally finished, his body was covered in a fine coat of sweat but he simply put away his weapons and went on to other exercises. He ran up and down the trees. Up one side and down the other running at a steady pace using his feet to cling to the trunks of the trees. All around the yard he ran. First up one and down the far side and then up the next one. Only when each tree had been run did he stop to do something different. He dropped to the ground and did his push-ups. Using his chakra he formed a cushion under his body and with only his toes still touching the ground with his hands clasped behind his back he did one thousand push-ups before rolling over and doing the same number of curls around a cushion of resistant chakra.

His faithful Anbu watched. They were getting used to seeing his work-outs but it still never ceased to amaze them what kind of chakra he had or how many uses he put it to. From the moment he woke up in the morning he led a chakra intensive day, using his chakra for everything from berry picking to work-outs. By the time the sun set, they were tired just from watching him.

And while he was doing that Jiraiya was running down random bits of information that might lead to the discovery of who might be the one to carry the titles of Wisdom and Friend. Some might have said he had the hardest job but it was the job he was best suited to do and he rummaged through the stacks of old discarded info looking for tidbits. Often the most startling clue was the one no one noticed and he was an expert at seeing what others missed. It was after all how he'd made his living while he waited for Naruto to grow up and graduate the academy and his first team. He'd been excited to take on Naruto as his student until he'd seen what he had to work with. The damage Kakashi and those instructors had done was almost irreversible but he'd persevered and finally triumphed. He wouldn't fail the boy on this mark either, he vowed.

His list of who might be meant to hold the Friend title was a little more expansive than Naruto's now but that's because he knew more of who had been a true friend than the boy did. Naruto had friends he knew nothing about because they worked behind the scenes like the ramen owners but because of that he was having an impossible time finding the one he needed now.

He was checking on the wisdom title holder because Naruto hadn't been sure that it was meant to be Shikamaru and he agreed. Shikamaru was smart and knowledgeable but that wasn't the same thing as being wise. Wisdom was something pulled from knowledge and while you couldn't be wise without also being knowledgeable the opposite wasn't necessarily true. It was definitely possible to hold a ton of knowledge and be stupid as a stump. Not that Jiraiya thought Shikamaru was stupid. He just felt he was too lazy to be wise. To become wise one needed to live and mull through what they knew. That jounin would rather watch clouds all day or sleep forever. So therefore he didn't think Shikamaru was meant to hold the title of Wisdom.

His list for the title of Wisdom was every bit as narrow but he thought his choice for the title fit better. That little old lady was wiser than anyone he knew. The only question was would Naruto see it that way? He checked out Shikamaru anyway just in case the lazy boy was wiser than he thought him to be. He compiled a list of names for each title and listed the reasons he felt they might be right for it before heading back to the house in the woods.

He never saw his tail but then he didn't need to. Sasuke was as obvious as it was possible to be. If the boy thought he was sneaking, he really needed to get a good sensei but he let the boy follow because Naruto had told him to if the boy became too persistent. The time was drawing close and Naruto didn't need the distractions of trying to stay one step ahead of the arrogant Uchiha or of trying to keep his helpers safe from him either. Now was definitely not the time for him to be engaging in pointless battles of supremacy and ego either. He really needed to be able to rely on people to do what needed to be done while he learned the abilities he had gained to their fullest extent. Sasuke needed to be neutralized so that could happen.

Naruto had told the Anbu what to do should the boy show up tailing one of his guest and as soon as Jiraiya hopped into the trees at the boundary he signaled them. The Anbu jumped into place and trapped the boy where he stood on the wide branch of a tree.

Sasuke still couldn't see the house where Naruto was staying or where Jiraiya was headed but he figured for the Anbu to be here than they had to be close. What he didn't know was that Tsunade had Anbu stationed all over the woods. Only those stationed around the house actually knew where Naruto was living and they never left the grounds. He'd come back when they weren't expecting him, he decided. He struggled to get free, expecting the wires that held him to poof away now that he'd been caught. He knew full well the council would not allow anyone to ever deliberately hurt him. He was the Uchiha. But the capture wires held fast.

Jiraiya popped up in front of him. "So you just can't take no for an answer, huh? Well, no matter. If you can't take it voluntarily, we'll just have to force it on you. But the answer was no before and it's no now. You may not see Naruto at this time. He will let you know when he wishes to see you and only then will it happen." He made a motion to the Anbu and they grabbed a hold of his arms. "Take him where we discussed. Be sure to make sure he's held there until Naruto is ready to see him."

The Anbu nodded and together they hopped away taking the hog-tied Uchiha with them. He couldn't even struggle and, after two hops, he couldn't see either. They had him wrapped into some kind of genjutsu that blocked all his senses so that he had no idea where he was or even if he was moving. He could tell nothing. For as far as he knew he could have been standing on his head stark naked in the women's hot spring singing "I'm a Girl" while doing the teapot dance. After what seemed like forever he sensed he was alone but the cotton wrap jutsu was still encased around him and he wasn't actually sure. He thought he sat down to wait but maybe he didn't.

Jiraiya went straight to Naruto, handing him his list and then told him Sasuke had proven troublesome. Naruto nodded and sat down to think over the list. "Sasuke will be fine there. Make sure someone knows to feed him and keep the jutsu on him but other than that leave him alone. He hasn't hurt anything or anyone. Are you sure about these people, Sensei? I mean, some of these people I don't even know. Why would they be a holder for me?"

"They know you. They've known you all your life. From the very night you were born into the middle of a firestorm attack that was birthing nothing but ash and destruction, these people have known you. They never saw a monster in you but they always saw monsters in those who hurt you. And that is why if one of them is to carry for you they will do so with pride and honor in the job."

"Ok. Well then I guess it's time for a party then, isn't it? I think we should have all of them here at once and after it's over I should know who is to hold which title. We'll have all of our title holding friends there as well including Sasuke and Kakashi. And at the end of the party I will make the announcement of who is holding what. How does that sound?"

"Sounds good to me." Jiraiya turned and barreled into the house where Tsunade was looking over medical files while Shizune fixed a meal for them. "Shizune, Naruto wants to throw a party. He wants to invite the people on this list as well as our usual group," He said excitedly handing the list to a startled Shizune.

Tsunade looked up and said, "What kind of a party are we talking about here? A formal sit down to dinner with us or just a general juice bar and dancing type?"

"Well, I think Hiashi might be a little uncomfortable at that last one, don't you?" said Naruto from the entryway. "I was thinking a reason for us all to dress in our formal clothes for a change. After all, you never know who might decide to drop by for a visit and it would never do to be underdressed for the occasion."

Everyone dropped what they were doing and stared at him. He said, "I will choose my final Title Holders from among the gathering if I can. Two of them will not make you happy, Oba-chan, but they are entitled to their positions just as you are entitled to yours. You are my Trust and they are my Family and my Honor."

Tsunade narrowed her eyes and set her expression. She had a feeling she knew who these two were gonna be and he was right. She wouldn't like it. "Who?"

"Sasuke and Kakashi. Both have earned the titles by the paths their lives have taken them. I do not know that Kakashi will be strong enough to carry his but he is the only one that can and so he must try. Of Sasuke, I have no doubts. He will be strong enough to hold and carry Family because he understands what it means in all ways. And so both of them will be at the party. I will ask you to be cordial while they are under my roof but I will not ask you to be false. I know you will not like or trust either of them and I would be disappointed if you did." He gave her a heartwarming smile to soften the blow. He knew exactly how she felt about both of them. After all, in their own ways, and for their own reasons, both of them had tried to kill him.

"Hmpht." Tsunade crossed her arms and frowned. She didn't like them and she never would but he was right. While they were here she would be cordial to them for his sake.

Jiraiya had come to terms with it as far as he could but he didn't like it either. He still felt Naruto could have found a better representative for both titles but he had to admit his reasoning behind Sasuke's appointment made total sense. From his point of view, there really wasn't anyone better suited.

As for the Honor title, well, he was still in major doubt about that one. Kakashi had just done too much Jiraiya had never expected of the only surviving student of the Yondaime. The Yondaime had preached comradery and yet Kakashi had betray his memory. The fact that he'd done it to his Sensei's own son just made the betrayal all the worse. And Jiraiya knew for a fact Kakashi knew Naruto was Yondaime's son. He himself had told the Copy-Cat ninja just before the genin teams were announced to each other. He had been hoping Kakashi would see he owed Naruto training as well as Sasuke but the silver haired ninja had neglected the boy instead. He had ripped Naruto's confidence to shreds and let the boy flounder. All the things he'd found out since Naruto returned were added to the things he'd known before the return and the list practically guaranteed Jiraiya would never see Kakashi as an honorable man. He couldn't contain his snort though he did try.

Naruto had just raised a brow. "He's not honorable, Naruto, no matter if he does understand what it means, he just isn't. He's put you and the village through too much to wear that title."

"Ero-Sennin, he doesn't have to be the most honorable person in the world to wear the title. He just has to accept that he understands it and he does. No one in the whole world understands honor like he does. I will stand firm on that point because it is true. Hatake Kakashi knows exactly what honor is and how far behind him he left his own honor. It's why he cries to that black stone every day. It's why he can not move on with his life and find new precious people. It's why his life is a stalemate. He can not go back to regather what he has lost but he can not move forward either. And until he admits he needs his honor, his life will remain as it is. Stagnant. He will remain a tool to be wielded by either side. I want him to find his way back to his honor, Oba-chan, Ero-Sennin so that his life will progress again. Only when he picks it up and embraces it again will he find the ones he needs to fully live his life. And living the life you are given is what each of us should always strive to do."

**Author Note: As a bonus for all of you being so very patient with me over this story I have posted this chapter as well. Unfortunately I do not know how it compares to other chapters as for word count as fan-fics download manager no longer has the old chapters listed for me to see how long they were but I do hope it is of a comparable length for you. As Always I do appreciate helpful reviews. And once again thank-you for being so patient. Got to run. School bus just stopped so kids are home. Need to hide. Byyyyyyeeeeeeeeeee.**


	27. Chapter 27

**Disclaimer: Livingroom. . . still trashed. . . Kitchen. . . Sinks full again. . . Sigh Nope Don't own Naruto yet.**

Chapter Twenty-Seven: Early Christmas

Sasuke was still sitting in his cocoon of nothing waiting for the Anbu to come release him but he was no longer sanguine about the situation. He was angry. Very angry. How dare they do this to him? Didn't they know who they were messing with? He was the last bloody Uchiha for Pete's sake and the council wouldn't stand for anyone mistreating him. He deserved respect because he was the last of his house. No other person in Konoha carried his blood. This whole situation was intolerable and when he got out of here, heads were gonna roll.

He totally forgot that if he hadn't insisted on going where he wasn't wanted he could have been safe at home and that Jiraiya wasn't just somebody's old uncle. He had his own position that quite cancelled out Sasuke's. It had also slipped his mind that Jiraiya had said he would be held here until Naruto was ready to see him because Naruto was tired of his little games of cat and mouse.

All he really knew is he wasn't used to being treated like this and it made him angry. After an hour or so of ranting in his mind and railing against his fate, he grew tired and fell asleep. He never heard the Anbu come in to feed him or felt the prick of the needle by means of which she gave him his food. They had decided it was too risky to remove the cocoon jutsu just to feed him so they would wait for this and hook up an IV. Since he would be kept in the jutsu he would never know. It was safer all around.

All of them knew he would report this to the council and they would get upset so everyone felt it was best if he could never point the finger at anyone who could be held responsible. The council wouldn't dare do anything to Jiraiya and that is why he was selected to explain to the young hothead why he was being detained. It would also be Jiraiya who would release him from the jutsu when it was time and take him to see Naruto. But at the moment he was being detained in a dark and silent void. He didn't know it but Naruto himself went to check on him several times a day just to make sure he was ok and sit near him to keep him from being alone. Even Naruto didn't know why he did that as Sasuke wasn't aware he was there due to the jutsu. It just felt right so he did it.

Shizune pulled in Hinata and Temari to help her get the party arranged. They first organized a clean and polish house party with every person who knew or had been invited at least once to visit Naruto. The only person who didn't get roped into helping was Naruto himself. Even Anbu who were off duty were roped into scrubbing and carting and hauling. Naruto was surprised to find one night when sitting in the library after dinner that he had a nice golden colored hardwood floor in the room.

Then came the organizing. Those three were dynamos of action and everyone who valued their skin just did their best to stay out of the way while the house was being redone from the attic to the basement. Gone were the old tattered dust covered shrouds that had overlaid the furniture of every room not in use by either Naruto or Jiraiya. Upholstery of warm reds and golden browns were exposed in the main sitting room and soft blues and cool greens, bright yellows, dusky oranges and smokey greys showed up in other rooms.

After they uncovered the furniture to the light of discovery, they set to work on revealing all the other hidden assets of the place. Their zeal knew no boundaries as they excavated everything. Wardrobes were polished and scrubbed until they gleamed as were the banister and the wall borders, ceiling fans and anything else the ladies hadn't reached yet. Naruto kept expecting them to fly up to the roof on Temari's fan and tackle the shingles but they didn't go that far. Jokingly he mentioned it one night at dinner and three sets of angry eyes turned in his direction. He ducked and mumbled, "Just joking. Sheesh."

"Well, it wasn't funny," snapped Temari.

"No kidding," was Naruto rejoinder causing everyone to laugh. The three cleaners smirked in spite of their best efforts not to and the meal went as normal.

The next day Hinata uncovered a hidden set of fancy wear dishes that she excitedly showed to the other girls and they counted out the place settings. They found that the set was only for thirty but with the addition of a second setting of the same size it should be good for the number of guests they were expecting. They found the fancy silver in a drawer and pulled it out to polish and count. It was also a thirty piece place setting but there was a second twenty piece setting below it in another chest. They cleaned that set also and reasoned they wouldn't need any more silver for the gathering. One the last day of the cleaning Temari found the smaller dish set. Twenty place setting of fine bone thin china decorated with flames of yellow, orange, red and gold decorated each piece and they all oohed and ahhed as they cleaned each piece. The set was a perfect match for the smaller silver set as well since the handl of each piece of the silverware was engraved with a small flame.

With full place settings for fifty people all they needed was to find space to seat everyone. So the ladies set to work on the ballroom Naruto didn't even know he had. Windows were washed and the heavy curtains pulled down, washed and aired and then rehung. They scrubbed and waxed the floor and set up the banquet tables so that people would be able to easily converse while selected individuals could be kept under close observation the whole evening. But they also made sure it would be easy to clear away the tables if later guests felt like dancing or just mixing and mingling. Comfortable chairs were arranged with small tables in alcoves where guests could wait while other guests arrived or until dinner was served.

Security would be handled by the Anbu corps very own private little black ops group. These were the guys who only came out to play when the regular Anbu weren't good enough or when the need for security was so high as to be unattainable. The black ops group were made up of only the most trusted Anbu. They did not work for the Anbu commander as did all the rest of the corp. Nor were their names in any register book of the Anbu rolls. They were completely off the books to everyone in Konoha. Only Tsunade herself knew who they were and only she could call them into service. If called, they were sworn never to reveal anything about the job they were to do. It didn't matter who asked for the information or even how old or long ago the job was. She herself could ask and they were forbidden to say a word.

And they had chosen to go with a mixed catering of Chouji's family and Teuchi. Ramen and Bar-b-que would be the main meal. Tsunade had already arranged the after dinner cocktail bar for the announcements and arranged the stage for the selected to stand on. So all that was left was getting the house ready to receive the influx and sending out the invitations. The caters and security already knew their job and the date. Everyone else would be informed only at the last minute. No one would know ahead of time lest the affair catch wind and blow into the wrong ear.

Hinata had already talked to her father and they had made plans for hand-selected Hyuuga's to tend to the waitressing needs of the party. The hand-picked Hyuuga staff for the night was Hiashi's worry but he was as selective with them as Tsunade was with her black ops. Under no circumstances would he permit anyone who's loyalty he could not count on one hundred percent. Not only did he feel he owed that to Naruto but he was going to be there along with both his daughters and his nephew. If anything went wrong it could very well end up that the Hyuugas would lose their main family in the cross-fire. So he chose carefully. Every name was gone over with a fine toothed comb looking for even the slightest hint of misconduct in the past. He finally settled on thirty names and submitted them to Tsunade for final vetting. She sent them through Ibiki and then through the commander of her black ops team before approving them. None had needed to be substituted which was good because he didn't have any alternates to offer.

Then it was just the decorating and making sure that Naruto had formal wear. He laughed when Hinata tentatively approached the idea and led her to the master room which everyone had insisted he take as his own. Once there she stopped in the door as he went from one wardrobe to another opening doors. "Would you like to pick one out for me? I'm sure most if not all of them will fit me. But I have to admit I have no idea which one to wear," he chuckled.

She stood there gasping for air. There were so many and not everything hanging there was for a man to wear. Some of it was fancy kimonos for a dainty sized girl. She saw a lovely bluish-lilac material and before she knew it she was fingering the material. It was so smooth and soft it felt like she was holding air between her fingers.

"Do you like that one, Hinata?" Naruto asked.

"It's beautiful," she breathed, never taking her eyes off of it.

"It's yours then."

"I couldn't take this," she said. "This is a kimono for royalty. I'm just highborn but this is too nice a grade for me."

Naruto reached past her and pulled the beautiful kimono from the closet. "You can and will. I want you to have it. It looks like it has been waiting a long time for you so please don't turn it away." He turned to the door where Hanabi was peeking. "Come in, Hanabi. Don't you think this was made for Hinata? Be honest now."

The girl blushed and stammered but finally admitted Hinata would look beautiful in it and that it did indeed appear to have been made just for her. Hinata still demurred and Naruto finally got exasperated.

"Oba-chan," He bellowed, nearly causing both young women to go temporarily deaf and their eyes to cross. "Shizune. . .Temari. . .He continued bellowing until both Hinata and Hanabi were cringing with their hands over their ears.

"Quit bellowing, you young Bullhorn," said Tsunade coming into the room at a fast trot followed by a breathless Temari and frazzled Shizune.

"Well, I had to get you all here to convince this stubborn young lady to take this kimono and to pick out your own. As you can see, there are plenty to choose from and as I am not now, nor do I ever plan to become one, a female, I have no need of a kimono for one. And yes, Hanabi, that goes for you as well. Pick the one you like best that fits you best and have fun ladies. Oh and someone see if you can find one for Moegi. I know she doesn't own one and her folks aren't that rich so see what you can find for her." He turned and left a very bewildered group of very happy young women in a room full of free top of the line clothes. Christmas had come early to Konoha.

Naruto went out in the yard where his elemental friends were waiting for him. He still had to practice no matter how close the party was. He did his warm-ups and smiled while he listened to the excited squeals coming from the room he had left the women in. Then he summoned his weapons and his clones and got to work on his katas and element attacks. While the ladies were gushing over the clothes in the wardrobes, Naruto worked up a sweat practicing his moves. He knew he had wasted alot of time today getting things settled with the girls over the state of the house and their hard work preparing for the party but how they felt towards him was important also. He knew he would need the support of everyone when it came time to actually battle the darkness that loomed on the horizon. It wasn't just the goodwill and personal strength of will of his chosen title holders he had to foster. He also needed the good feelings of those who were not chosen to carry titles. So while not practicing his skills and moves hurt, he could do no less than take a break every once in a while to let them bond with him. It hurt though because he knew they would suffer even more when he vanished after the battle.

**Author Notes: Ok I know it's a short chapter but I did find it and here ya go. **


	28. Chapter 28

**Disclaimer: I still don't see a maid at the door but I do see a school bus. Does that count?**

**Hubby: For what? You have time to clean the house now Rose. **

**Disclaimer: Bite your tongue!**

**Hubby: But the boys will gone for a full six hours and I'll be asleep.**

**Disclaimer: Ooooohh Prime writing time....(runs for keyboard) Nite Honey sleep well.**

**Hubby: Sheesh not even a kiss**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.**

Chapter Twenty-Eight: Opening Moves

He could make two element opposite rasengans now so long as he didn't make them too large or get too much of one element over the other. But the amount needed for both to work together was not equal as he had supposed. It took less fire to heat a pan of water, so long as it had a steady source of fuel, then it did water to put out a fire. Although you could put out a candle flame with a glass of water the same could not be said of a blazing forest fire. The candle didn't have the same availability of fuel as did the forest fire and therefore it took much more water to put out the feeding flames than it did the controlled fuel ones. And so, when he made his fire and water rasengan he used more water than he did fire. Now he needed to add earth to the mix and after that he needed to add air. But for today he had four hundred clones out working with each of them. He divided them into groups of one hundred each and set them to working with the individual elements. He then divided them into twenty-five smaller groups of four each, one clone for each element and set them to mixing and matching to see what worked best. Every time a clone would go poof he'd absorb it's knowledge and recreate it.

The elementals themselves patrolled the groups offering suggestions as to why certain techniques didn't work. They also watched as Naruto himself worked on producing the three element rasengans in both hands at the same time. On his left he worked to produce the water, lightening, and air attack while on his right he tried to produce the earth, fire, and nature rasengan. It was hard work to call on all the elements at the same time and hold them all separate from each other as they formed into the controlled ball of pure chakra he held in the palm of his hand. But he knew he could do it if he wanted to bad enough and so, no matter how many times it blew up on him, he just picked himself up and tried it again. Over and over again until he got it right.

By the end of the day he had two small balls of energy floating in the palms of his hands. The right held the earth, nature, and fire ball and the left held the water, air, and lightening mixture. With a grin like the old days he threw the balls together at a giant boulder twenty feet away. He expected them to blow before they hit but to his surprise both rasengans imploded on the rock he aimed them at. Unfortunately, there wasn't enough of the rock left to determine which way the combined energy had circled the ball. He'd have to do it again and remember to aim them at a rock wall face next time. He cleaned up the yard and dismissed the clones that were left. After he finished absorbing their knowledge, he talked to the elementals for a bit before he said goodnight to his friends and went inside for dinner.

Inside he found the women all excessively glad of their new finery and excited about the upcoming party in just two more days. The guys were sitting there bored out of their minds while trying not to show it as the women gushed about their new kimonos. Well, Gaara always looked bored but this time Naruto thought he really was as bored as he seemed to be. Jiraiya, while happy at seeing Tsunade happy over something, was definitely not enjoying the conversation.

Naruto racked his brain looking for a topic of conversation that would interest all his guests. He came up with nothing. Instead he just filled his plate and listened as the ladies gushed. Hinata's blue and lilac kimono was the all around favorite of the group. The ladies were all convinced she would leave everyone standing in her shadow when people saw her in it. Hanabi had chosen a red and gold number that needed some slight alterations to fit her smaller frame but they thought she'd be just as pretty as Hinata. Temari had chosen a brown and yellow number while Shizune had picked out a blue and white. Tsunade was forced to accept a green and golden kimono that was every bit as fancy as the one Naruto had forced on Hinata. While Hinata's was a deep bluish purple color accented with lilac trim and design with a lilac sash, Tsunade's was a deep bright green accented with gold trim and a golden colored sash. Naruto listened as they described the ones they had chosen and had to admit the one they'd picked for Tsunade would have been his choice as well. She would cause Jiraiya's eyes to pop out of his head when he saw her in that one.

After dinner, while the ladies cleaned up Jiraiya, Gaara and Naruto went into the library to relax. Jiraiya asked, "So how is the practice going? Think you'll have everything ready on time?"

"Yeah," He nodded. "I think I will but it won't matter if I don't. I won't be able to simply walk up to him and say Um hey I'm not quite ready yet. You think you can wait over there until I figure this move out? I don't think he'd be inclined to do that."

Jiraiya flushed. "I didn't mean it like that Naruto."

"I know. It's just working with all the elements is taxing and frustrating. It's hard to concentrate on learning and growing in ability knowing that he is coming. Knowing he is not some distant thing I'll have to face and knowing that so many will be hurt no matter how the battle plays out. Even if I win my people will still be hurt." He shook his head.

"You let us worry about that. We are strong. Strong enough to deal with this. I will not pretend I am looking forward to this. I'm not. Losing you again is not something I want to face but it is something that is inevitable and so I will deal with it when I must," said Jiraiya.

"People get hurt all the time, Naruto. It's a fact of life. You will not be the first person any of us will lose in our lifetimes. Just one of the most important and special but I would not have missed this time with you for anything," added Gaara.

"Nor me," said Temari from the door where she stood with the other three women. They came in and took seats.

Hinata said, "Once I dreamed of being strong enough to show my father I was not weak. Then I dreamed of showing you I wasn't weak. I can accept that you can not stay no matter how much I wish and pray you could but like Gaara I would not trade this time."

"You're important to us, Gaki. To those of us here in this room you are Konoha. It will be hard to go on without you but you have given us something to live for and we will strive to make Konoha what it seems to be to you. For your dreams we will go on. We will find those who have the will of fire and train them in your nindo so that they may chase your dreams and hold them up high for all to see. We will see to it that Konoha never forgets what it means to be a true shinobi," said Tsunade. Shizune placed a hand on the Hokage's shoulder where the woman leaned back with her eyes closed.

"So you see Gaki? You just worry about the techniques and leave the rest to us. We'll make sure the village is ready when that thing shows up," said Jiraiya.

Just then there was a pounding on the door and an Anbu burst in with a battered Iruka in tow. She took the poor teacher straight to Tsunade who sprang into action. Her hands glowed green as she passed them over Iruka's form. "What happened?" she asked.

"He just appeared at the edge of the clearing beaten and bloody. I have to go help the squad but I thought I should bring him in first." The Anbu waited until she received a nod to leave before walking out and closing the door. Shizune had fallen to her knees along with Hinata and now all three of them were healing Iruka's injuries.

The guys all stood and moved to strategic positions. Since Iruka was hurt there were only three of them to defend the women while they worked but then Temari took up a position not far from her brother clearly stating her intent to protect the group as well. They peered out the windows into the night trying to locate the source of the trouble but saw nothing. No sounds betrayed the attackers either. If they didn't have Iruka on the floor before them they'd almost believed nothing was wrong. But they did have him and Naruto knew it really was him and so he didn't relax. Because he didn't relax neither did anyone else.

Reaching a decision Naruto told Jiraiya, "Go release Sasuke and bring him here."

Jiraiya asked, "Are you sure that's wise?"

Nodding he said, "He's what this is about. Someone figured out we took him and they don't like it. So they waylaid Iruka to find out where he was or to find out where I am and since Iruka didn't know we have Sasuke he couldn't tell them. But he could lead them straight to me. So bring me Sasuke unless you want Danzo to die tonight."

"Well, I can't say I would mind that but ok. One traitor coming right up." Jiraiya left the room at a run. Temari went along to watch his back. A few minutes later they were back dragging a barely conscious Sasuke between them.

Naruto quirked an eyebrow at his condition but said nothing as they waited for Tsunade to have a spare moment to heal him up. "Stupid Teme. He decided he wanted to fight me," said Temari. "I decided he needed a refresher course in why people don't mess with me." Naruto raised a brow and she sighed. "I hit him over the head with the edge of my fan. He'll be alright in a minute or two." She let go and Sasuke fell to the floor, still being held up by one arm. Then Jiraiya let go also and he collapsed beside Iruka.

Tsunade finished healing Iruka and brought him around so they could find out what happened. When he opened his eyes he groaned and she held him in a reclined position.

"Just stay down. Your bones need time to fuse properly. Too much moving around and you'll never walk again. Who did this to you and why?"

"Was grabbed on my way home from academy. Tried to fight but got knocked out. Some gas. Choked me. Blinded. Couldn't see."

"But why?" asked Shizune.

"Find Naruto. They want him. Said Master wants him dead. Talked when they shouldn't have." Iruka smirked though he still looked more green than white and he clearly was having trouble focusing his eyes. Tsunade gave him a shot of something and let him lean against the edge of the couch they'd all been sitting on earlier.

"What else did you hear that they don't know you heard?" grinned Jiraiya.

"Master wants to miss fight. Told them take you out for him. Said something. . ." His voice trailed away for a few minutes as he drifted on painkillers the women had given him. "Bout killing holders. Kind of stupid. Not good at knots. Escaped. Got away." He drifted deeper into his drug induced sleep and quit talking.

Tsunade turned her attention to the Uchiha and woke him up. He blinked up at her and then looked around. He was in a fancy room with a lot of people standing over him. Wait. Over him? He took stock. He was laying flat on his back on the floor. Why? He pushed himself to his knees. There. That was better he thought trying to get his weight under him to stand. Hands pushed on his shoulders keeping him down.

He tried to say something but his voice frogged in his throat and all that came out was a weak sounding croak. He cleared it and tried again. "Where am I?" he finally got out.

"At my house," answered a voice he thought he should know but didn't. He couldn't see the owner of the voice and he craned his neck to try and get a glimpse.

"And where's that? Why am I here?"

"Because you wouldn't do what you were told," the voice replied ignoring his first question.

"I do as I please. I am not a child to be told what to do." Sasuke glared in the direction the voice came from. He'd given up trying to see the person and now just sat on his knees waiting.

"No. I know exactly what you are. You are an arrogant teme who thinks the world should bow before you because you were born."

Sasuke bristled. Only one person was allowed to get away with calling him that. He growled, "Who the hell are you? What makes you think you can speak to me like that and get away with it?" Then he looked at the faces arranged above him and gulped.

"I am the one you've been breaking the rules to see, Teme. You were told to wait for a reason, you know." Naruto pushed aside Temari and Gaara, who was leaking killer intent because of Sasuke's attitude. He stepped in front of them as a grin spread across Sasuke's face.

"I knew I'd find you," he chortled. "They couldn't ever hide you from me for long. Stupid of them to even try. Now what's this about not wanting to see me?"

"I told them I didn't want to see you because there was no need to. I knew you and I knew what you would do. I don't have time for it so I told them to keep you away." Naruto shrugged. "You wouldn't listen. One day that arrogant streak of yours will get you killed, Teme."

Sasuke had stopped smiling as the words slammed into him. No need to see him? No time? Told them to keep him away? This wasn't Naruto. It couldn't be. "But you. . .I. . . we always. . . I don't understand."

"I know and now is not the time to explain it to you." Naruto pointed to Iruka. "He got hurt because you forced us to take further measures to ensure my privacy. Because you wouldn't listen he took the beating no one should have gotten. What do you plan to do to set it right?"

"It's not my doing. I didn't touch him."

"You are the reason he was grabbed off the street, drugged and beaten. So therefore it is your doing. If you had listened and done as you were requested, he would have been safe. Because you didn't he wasn't."

Laid out like that there really wasn't anything Sasuke could say. "I don't know what I can do. I'm not a medic."

"Look around, Sasuke. I have three of the villages best medics in the room. A medic is not what he or I need."

"Then what? What can I do?"

"You can let the Anbu use the Cocoon jutsu on you again and drop you off at your Estate where you will stop trying to find me ahead of time. Instead, you will concentrate on helping to protect those like Iruka who have been to see me already from vicious cowardly attacks." He dropped down on one knee so Sasuke didn't have to look up to him any more and continued, "This is bigger than anything we've ever done before and you are a part of it but your time isn't here yet. Trust me to know what I am doing as I once trusted you. Then it was you who had the goal and the ambition. Now it is I who does."

Sasuke stared him in the eye for a long time before he finally nodded. "Who am I to protect?"

"You protect those who are in danger, Teme. It doesn't matter who they are or what the danger is. You protect them. I will not tell you the names of the people I care for. That is information you do not need and all you would do is a comparison between them and yourself if you knew who they all are. That isn't needed. Do you agree?"

Sasuke thought about it. He had really hoped to get a list of names from Naruto but he knew Naruto was right too. He really did only want to know who Naruto cared for more than he cared for him since at least some of them had gotten to see Naruto before he had. Finally he sighed and nodded. He owed it to Naruto after everything the blond had gone through because of him and an Anbu stepped forward. The next thing he knew he couldn't sense anything. The cocoon jutsu was in full effect as the Anbu took him off the estate and back to the Uchiha district.

Iruka was moved carefully into one of the spare rooms where the three medics took turn keeping watch over him all night. The Anbu squad leader finally came back and reported they had found no one in the woods. Considering the shape the teacher had been found in no one understood how he had done it but apparently he had not led anyone to them. There was movement in the trees outside the perimeter but other Anbu were stationed out that far and would deter them if they tried to come this way. The squad leader suggested everyone just try to get some sleep while they did their job.

Naruto nodded and led the way up to the bed chambers. Since the ladies and Gaara were also staying the night and there were only four bedrooms total they had to bunk up. Naruto shared his chambers with both Jiraiya and Gaara to make it easier on the women keeping watch over Iruka in the second bedroom. Hinata and Temari shared a room leaving Tsunade and Shizune to the final room.


	29. Chapter 29

**Disclaimer: Still not mine. . . daggumit.**

Chapter Twenty-Nine: Discussions

The next morning as his friends went about the business of getting ready for the party the next day, Naruto continued with his practice. He thought about what Iruka claimed to have overheard and the significance of the remarks wasn't missed by him. His opponent was trying to get and easy victory by having his own people eliminate him before the battle could happen but that was against the rules. Neither of them were allowed to directly interfere with the other during this period of training and selecting. He decided to mention it to one of the Elementals. Maybe he was misreading the situation and Danzo was just taking too much on himself. It never entered his mind that it could be someone other than Danzo behind the scheme.

"No," said Kaze when he questioned him about it. "It sounds like he has been in touch with this man or with someone here. You didn't tell anyone outside your chosen about the battle or any of the particulars."

"And you instructed all of them to be silent about everything. I can not see any you would select this early as being unworthy of that trust," added Etai-sei. "Therefore the only way he would know anything about it is if he had contact with someone from the other side."

"What exactly did this chosen say?" rumbled Chi.

"He was drifting on pain meds but he said he heard them talking when they didn't think he could. He heard them say something about killing me for the Master and killing my holders. He said they said something about the Master wanting to avoid the fight," answered Naruto.

"It is possible they were just guessing and trying to plant information to get a reaction from you. See if you'd scurry around to protect your chosen. They are your weaknesses right now. Maybe it would be better to grab them up and keep them safe until the battle arrives?" suggested Mizu.

"I can only do that to a certain extent. Tsunade Baa-chan has to be at the Tower and the Hospital for at least part of every day. If she doesn't put in an appearance at the Tower the council tries to usurp her position and strip away some of her authority for themselves. If she doesn't show at the hospital people could die. She is not just my Trust. She is the Trust of the village also."

"The same is true with Iruka, though he will stay here until he is healed at least. The children of the village depend on him being at the head of their classroom. He would not like being told he has to turn his back on them. He is after all, Courage don't forget."

"True," rumbled Chi. "It took courage to get out here without being trailed to warn us of this move in the shape he was in. He is well chosen. And this is not the first time the other side has tried this type of move. You would think he would know it will not work though."

"Thank you. And don't forget I sent Sasuke back to the village with the chore of keeping his fellows safe when they must be there. After the dinner tomorrow I will expand this place and let as many of them stay here as wish to but I don't expect everyone to want to. Most will, I expect, wish to go back to their own homes to be with their families."

"So then you have found everyone then?" asked Erekiteru.

"I believe so but I will know for sure when I see them all here tomorrow night. To know for certain I have to actually see them. There is one I could swear I have never seen before in my life but Jiraiya-ero-sennin swears she is the right person."

"Well, then I think you need to get back to work then," said Chi. "Your clones are just standing around."

"You said he tried this before? What happened that time?"

"He captured several of the chosen and tortured them. He didn't succeed in preventing the battle. It still came down to his sword against the sword of Kami's Warrior. But it did make the battle much harder for her Warrior that time. He had all those titles to carry into the battle with him. Luckily he didn't succeed in finding and killing all the title holders or it would have gone much worse for us," said Erekiteru.

"Then I think I will recommend my chosen stay close after the announcement tomorrow night. I doubt it will make much difference to them but maybe the non-warriors will stay here where they are protected."

"You have some of them?" asked Mizu.

"Yeah three that I know of. I mean it's possible Sasuke can protect them in the village but it's hard for one person to protect three at the same time when they aren't in the same location."

Naruto looked up and saw several of the clone group leaders looking at him. In each case they were missing a partner so he created a new batch of clones and dispersed them throughout the gathering. Then he created a hundred more and set t work on his sword and shield skills. These would be his main form of attack and defense and he needed to be flawless at them.

Tsunade and the women went back to town and went about their daily tasks without a problem. All of them were aware that they too could find themselves being yanked off the street and subjected to questioning they didn't want to answer but they kept their guard up and acted as if they had nothing to worry about.

Hinata and Temari went to the people they were planning to have do the catering for the event and made arrangements to pick up and deliver them to the place the next morning. Hinata was having Moegi's kimono altered for her on the Hyuuga Estate, along with Hanabi's, so that she would have it for the dinner party tomorrow night. Hanabi was going to bring Moegi to their place to dress so that they didn't have to spread the word any earlier than necessary. They told the Chouji's family to keep the engagement quiet. No one was to know about it until after it was over. Then they went to locate the rest of the gang. They found everyone at the park reminiscing about the good old days when they were fresh faced genins who thought they wanted to set the world on fire. They joined in and sat until the sun was going down, laughing and talking.

Kakashi was finished with the wall. He was pretty proud of himself over the way he had conned Anko into helping him do it so that the job moved faster than ever. The two of them had done it as a contest. If he sanded more logs on a given day than she did they had to eat where he wanted and she paid but if she sanded more than he did he had to eat where she wanted and he paid. His wallet had held onto more money. She just didn't have as much chakra to call on as he did so he was usually able to get more done than she was. Unless he used too much and had to replace a log. If that happened it cost him five logs. One for the one he had blown up. One for the tree he had to fell to replace it. Another for having blown up a log in the first place. And the other two were the ones Anko was able to get done while he was replacing the log he'd trashed.

But now he was onto the graveyard and the engraved headstones. Anko was sitting watching while he traced out the faded letters to try and decipher at home this evening and he knew she'd help him figure them out so he was tracing as many of them as he could in the oldest corner of the place. Out of all the stones here, he knew these would be the ones no one actually visited anymore as no one alive even remembered these people had ever existed. Therefore it didn't really matter all that much if he got the names right or wrong. No one would actually know but still he wanted to get them right. It was disrespectful to rename a person after they died.

Sakura was visiting Mrs. Tsu again and this time she wasn't gardening. She was just sitting listening and looking at a photo book as Mrs. Tsu reminisced about her golden years. She turned a page and there staring up at her was the image of a young man with red eyes with black tomoes swimming around the black iris. He would have been quite handsome indeed if it hadn't been for the sneer on his finely chisled lips and the cruel glint in his red eyes. He wore a golden cloak of fine silk and sat next to a pretty girl with big green eyes and cherry red lips. Her black hair was pulled to one side and held in place with a sprig of Sakura blossoms. Both looked happy as they gazed at each other but the young man sent chills down her arms. Maybe because she did see the cruelty in his eyes as he looked at the cameraman.

"This is the young man you told me about, isn't he? The young man who killed his beautiful wife? You didn't mention that he was an Uchiha," Sakura said in a faint tone. "It seems they were always arrogant and a touch on the cruel side."

Mrs. Tsu looked at the picture and reached with one gnarled, bent old finger to lightly trace the young girl's image ignoring the handsome man at her side. "Yes, he is but he wasn't an Uchiha. At least we didn't know him as one. His name was Madar."

"But he has the Uchiha eyes."

"At the time we didn't know anything about the Uchiha clan. We just thought he'd been born with a strange anomaly. We weren't ninja and had no contact with any so we had no way of knowing those eyes were a weapon. Maybe it explains what happened with him. But even so I can not forgive and forget what he did to her."

"This is the girl he killed for his passions. But she did not die in vain. Her death has helped me to live a better life and allowed me to help so many others to not make her mistake. So it was meant to be but never does a day go by that I wish it was not."

"Who was she to you? I can tell by the way you spoke of her that first time that she was important to you and now by the way you're looking at her I can see it."

"She was my sister. My father's oldest daughter by a young noble woman. Maeri was born before I was by three years. There was some scandal concerning her but my Father, who was unmarried, at that time offered to marry her mother before Maeri was born. She wouldn't hear of it. She was from a wealthy family and my Father was a poor shopkeeper's son. He would inherit his father's shop but that was not good enough for her. She didn't want to give up her lifestyle to becomes a shopkeepers wife. But I can not complain because that left my father free to marry my mother instead. But the selfishness of Maeri's Mother is why my sister's only two options were reputable marriage or the temple. Father would have taken her into our home but her family would have had a fit over it and it would have caused no end of trouble so Maeri tried to make the best of it. Father helped her whenever he could and even my mother lent her aid when she could do so."

"She was like Naruto in a way. Huh? Blamed and despised for something she had absolutely no control over and given little choice over what to do with her life."

"In a way, yes. You could say that but like Naruto never thought of not becoming a ninja, my sister never thought of disappointing her mother and her family. She didn't have things as rough as Naruto did. No one tried to kill her just because she was born. No, her trails were because of who her Mother was. The type of person she was, made Maeri's life harder than it had to be. Her mother had lost a lot of station when Maeri was born. It would have been bad enough if Maeri had been a boy but she wasn't. And Maeri's mother loved her station above all else. She wanted her daughter to grow up and outshine her so that she would attract the highest eye in the land. Maeri did. That young man was the oldest son of our local Daimyo and there was no single young man of higher rank anywhere than he. Her mother was ecstatic and would hear no word against the union. She was determined to improve her own station by the marriage and truly my sister did wish the marriage to take place. Like me, she had no idea what kind of a man he was."

"Your sister sounds like she was a fine young lady but I still don't understand why he did that to her. What possible reason could he have had to hurt her like that?"

"No one knows. That's why she was given the choice when his father saw what he'd done. My sister protected me by having that child. If she had chosen her early death than I was to be given to the young man for the purposes of producing an heir. I would have had guards in the room to keep him from killing me or hurting me bad enough to lead to my death but it would have been me next. Maeri knew it and said she would live to have the child. She forced an agreement from the head of the household that whether the child was male or female would not matter. If it was born healthy and alive then I would be free of all obligations to that family. He agreed. I think he agreed because he had failed to recognize her danger and protect her until it was too late. He had his son restricted from going anywhere near her until the child was born or near me and my family either. And of course when my niece was born both alive and healthy he was beheaded."

"What happened to her Mother? She wanted that union so desperately to improve her station. Did she get what she wanted?"

"No. Since her daughter was so poorly treated and died in the childbed just eight months after the union took place she got nothing. One of the restrictions my sister had insisted on was that her Mother be kept from the child lest she treat the child as a stepping stone as she had herself. After the disaster the union had shown itself to be, my sister's Mother was cast off by her family and she was sent to the temple to stay for the rest of her days. I don't even know if they told her the child survived. Maeri's daughter was raised by her grandfather and kept away from her mother's family at Maeri's request. Maeri believed the whole family would do their best to use her daughter for their own gain and since she'd only had the child to give the Daimyo an heir and free me she saw no reason to saddle her daughter with her Mother's family's social climbing ways."

"So Tora the cat's owner is your niece?"

"Oh no Dear. I am not from this land. I moved here with my husband when we married. He was from this land but I was from a land near the sea that was destroyed long ago. My people are scattered now and I know not where they all are. My niece among them. I raised Mr. Tsu four fine sons and two fine daughters right here in Konoha and wouldn't trade my decisions for anything."

"Oh shew...For a minute there I was a little worried. That cat is the terror of the genins from the first time they are assigned the retrieval of it."

"Oh yes, I know but it is good exercise for the young ones. It teaches them to think things through and move slowly when all they want to do is rush in and bulldoze their way through things."

The two of them continued looking at Mrs. Tsu's photos and drinking lemonade until it was time for Sakura to go home for the evening.


	30. Chapter 30

**Disclaimer: Ah. . . so quiet now. . . Boys are at school or sleeping (two-tails) Hubby sleeping. . . Prime writing time. . . Now if only I had that maid to clean up the house for me. . .But I don't. sad face Still don't own Naruto. **

Chapter Thirty: Preparations

Tsunade and Shizune called all the invited people into her office and told them about the dinner party Naruto was hosting. She didn't give them much time to prepare but they had enough time to go home and dig out their fancy wear and change into it. Some of them already knew and the caterer's were already at the house cooking. Hiashi had already sent his chosen staff for the event out to prepare the place while Temari and Hinata were decorating the grounds with the help of the Anbu. So really it was just those of the Rookie nine plus three who didn't know. Tsunade made it clear that they were not to go shooting their mouths off about it as Naruto didn't want any trouble at the event and there were people in town who would crash it just to cause problems. She reminded them all that this was Naruto's first time hosting a party for any reason and warned them that if they caused him any problems they would answer to her for it. Several gulps were heard throughout the room but every head nodded. Then she dismissed them to go prepare themselves. She told them to wait at their residences and someone would be by to pick them and their guests up for the festivities.

Then she finished her paperwork and did her rounds at the hospital. She and Shizune had to reassign their patient load to other doctors before they left and release those patients who were well enough to go home. Tsunade didn't want to have to worry about sick patients over the next few weeks while she prepared for what ever was to come with Naruto.

By the time she was finished the sun was making it's way across the afternoon sky so they decided not to go back to the office for the day. They headed out to Naruto's place to get ready instead even though the party wasn't scheduled to start until sundown. Neither of them wanted to be less than their best in the finery he had given them. And both were sure there would be last minute problems to handle.

But when they arrived Hinata and Temari had things well in hand. Both girls were running the show as if they'd done this a thousand times before. Naruto was out in the yard practicing just as if it was any normal day. Tsunade smiled and shook her head as she went inside to get ready. She checked on Iruka and found him to be awake and fretting to get out of bed.

"I feel better now. I can move without pain now so I really should get back to my class." He made to get out of bed.

"Whoa. Not yet, you don't. I have someone covering your classroom for now. When I am satisfied you're completely healed, we'll discuss your going back into the village," said Tsunade.

"But my students. I can't just abandon them. They need me."

"You aren't abandoning them but you have other duties now also. You are Chosen just as I am. We both have to think of what's best for helping Naruto now also. It may be that after the dinner tonight neither of us will go back to the village until this Battle Royale has taken place."

"But we have no idea how far off that is. We can't just both stay here, hiding out. That's cowardly. We're ninjas. I may not be one of the best like you are but I can defend myself."

"I didn't mean to imply you can't but they already grabbed you once and the way they did it, it could have just as easily been me they got. That's no stain on you or your abilities. I just think that if we are out and about we give Naruto an extra thing to think about and worry over when he needs to be concentrating on his skills and abilities to the exclusion of all else."

"I will go to his dinner tonight. You're not keeping me in bed during that." Iruka looked at her mulishly.

She laughed. "I wouldn't even try. See? We even went and got your formal kimono for you." She patted his shoulder and said, "You really are recovering nicely, Iruka and I don't want to upset you but I really don't want any of us to be a burden on Naruto now."

"I'll think about it but I don't like being away from the kids like this. It really does seem cowardly to hide out just because someone might want to hurt me."

"Maybe but which is better? Hiding out knowing he doesn't have to worry or going about your daily routine knowing he is worrying?"

"Hmm."

"I'll make sure someone comes by to help you get ready for dinner. Try to get some more sleep until then." She turned and left the room as Iruka leaned back against his pillows and closed his eyes. A small part of him was glad she had suggested he stay here until this was over. It gave him more time with Naruto something that he really enjoyed but his students needed him also. And another part of him did feel he was hiding out from a non-existent danger.

After seeing to Iruka, Tsunade went down to the kitchen and sat playing cards with Jiraiya. They played for toothpicks for a change because neither of them were really concentrating on the game and neither wanted to lose any money to the other.

"So Tsunade-hime have you thought of what steps you'll take after tonight to ensure Naruto needs not concern himself with your safety?"

"I will stay here with Shizune. We discussed it and although I'm sure no one would try anything against me, that doesn't mean Naruto wouldn't still be worried for me every time I left the grounds. Since I already split my patients out among the other available doctors, Sakura will cover at the hospital and I can have my clones cover at the office. It'll be hard to do that way but, if Naruto can do it, than so can I."

"Good. I was concerned you'd think it was needless worrying on his part and go about your life as always."

"We only have a short time left with him and I want to spend as much time with him as I can before he's gone forever. I think we all feel that way. None of us wants to say good-bye but to know we could have stayed here and seen him every day of the last few weeks he has and choose not to do so. . . well, I don't think any of us will pass on it."

Jiraiya played a card and thought about it. "I wonder how he's gonna find room for all of us. This is only a four bedroom place. I suppose we could all bunk up and share the rooms but, if there is too long between now and the final Showdown, it's going to get mighty crowded."

"I'm going to use a jutsu to stretch the house out once I know how many rooms will be needed," said Naruto coming into the kitchen where they were semi-playing poker.

"That''s a good idea but where'd you learn that at?"

Naruto shrugged. "Don't know. I just know when I was talking to the Elementals about how to keep you all safe it occurred to me I could do it. So I will once I know you'll stay. It really is a viable concern, Baa-chan. I know you think you can protect yourself from anything but you aren't stronger than the Gods and that's what you'd be facing."

"You sound so sure. But we have no one in the village with God powers. I am a Sannin for Pete's sake."

"The enemy has done this before. Oh, not this particular person but the other side has. And he is instructing his tool in what needs to happen just as Kami instructs me. He is preparing his Warrior for the battle just as she prepares me. He knows if he can weaken me, by grabbing and killing those I hold dear, it only helps his Warrior. And right now, since his Warrior is coming here, he is already taking a weakness. This is the chosen battleground where I have the advantage. Remember? So he really needs to do something to weaken me as much as he is weakened by being too impatient to try and force me to come to him. Trust me when I say you will be in danger every day from now until the battle. You have been from the moment I named you but since that was done in private your danger was less than it will be after tonight. Tonight the village will know who my chosen are and why I am here."

He grabbed a bottle of water and went back outside to the practice yard. The cards lay forgotten on the table as both players thought about what he had said. Teuchi and his daughter and the Akamichi's worked around the two Sannins where they sat lost in thought at the table. Since Teuchi and his daughter were also invited to the dinner, they left the Akamichi's to the final steps of the preparations and went to get dressed for the event. Teuchi and his daughter didn't get to many fancy affairs when they weren't the ones serving the event and they were looking forward to being on the sitting side of the dinner table for a change.

Two rooms had been set aside for those who were at the house to change in. One was designated for the women and the other was for the guys. In the women's room, both Temari and Hinata were aiding Ayame to get ready. Temari worked on her hair while Hinata helped with her make-up. Both girls were determined to show Ayame just how it felt to be pampered. Only when they were happy with both her hair and her make-up did they move to her kimono. The pretty white and pink kimono was a perfect fit for Ayame and by the time the girls were done she hardly recognized herself. She felt nervous like she had at her first dance as she sat watching as both Temari and Hinata got their own kimonos on. Across the room from them Shizune was helping Tsunade get ready and vice versa. The room was filled with chatter and laughter as all the women forgot their cares and relaxed.

The men's room was quiet in comparison though there was plenty of chatter there as well. It was just more along the lines of complaint about being pored into straight jackets instead of the more jovial chatter from the women. The guys would rather have worn their tried and true everyday outfits but the women wouldn't hear of it. Only Teuchi was looking forward to wearing something grander than he normally did. He figured it couldn't be any worse than what he wore when serving fancy dinners. He shortly found out how wrong he was when Jiraiya and Gaara started layering the outfit on him. His protests were lost in the folds of cloth as the material was wrapped around his frame. Neither Jiraiya or Gaara would have listened even if they hadn't been but as it was they didn't even have to pretend not to hear them.

While they were getting ready Naruto finished his sparring practice and then did his jogging and other exercises. He ran up and down every tree around the grounds startling his special Anbu where they perched on high limbs that allowed them a greater view of the grounds. Then he did his push-ups and sit-ups using the energy fields of chakra to build resistance making them harder to perform. Only when he was done did he clean up the practice yard and go inside to get ready for the occasion himself. In his room he laid out the kimono Tsunade insisted he should wear and went to shower. He even shaved for the evening after his shower and put on cologne though he was still trying to figure out why the girls had said he should wear that stinky stuff. But he put it on like Iruka had shown him before going off to get dressed.

Back inside his room with a towel draped over his hips he was surprised to find a Hyuuga manservant waiting to help him put on the complicated folds of material. The flame red, orange, gold and yellow kimono was very bright and loud and he wasn't sure why Tsunade had insisted on this one in particular but as soon as she'd seen it hanging in the wardrobe she'd said he had to wear it and only it would do. She wouldn't explain why he couldn't wear the crystal blue with green and yellow accents that he preferred. Just said he had to wear this one. He'd complied because it seemed to mean so much to her.

He saw nothing special in it once the servant was satisfied with the drape of the cloth and the fit of the outfit. But apparently everyone else did. People, including the servant that put the contraption on him, kept bowing to him. As soon as Jiraiya had seen him in the thing he got tears in his eyes and turned away to go back into the men's room while Tsunade just gave him a sad smile and a tight hug. He went to stand by the door with Tsunade to await their guests. Within a few minutes he was joined by Hinata, Iruka, Gaara and Jiraiya. They talked quietly while they waited but Tsunade and Jiraiya kept mum on the reactions Naruto was getting for his kimono.


	31. Chapter 31

**Disclaimer: Nope not my show yet. Naruto isn't mine. Got enough blasted boys already. Four of the breed is enough for any woman. Why on earth would I want another one?**

**Hubby: I don't know. You tell me. You're the one that keeps saying you want the copy rights.**

**Disclaimer: Oh yeah. . .**

Chapter Thirty-One: Dinner Party

Just as the sun was setting special Anbu dispersed throughout Konoha to gather Naruto's special guests. Each Anbu had been assigned two guests and they were to escort them both there and back again should said guest wish to leave at the end of the night. They knew some of the guests would be staying while others would need to be taken back but none knew which ones.

Anko was surprised by the knock on Kakashi's door even though she had been told to expect it. Since she was his jailor, so to speak, she would go with him to the dinner as his guest. She didn't think he deserved to go but Tsunade had told her it was at Naruto's own insistence so he would be there. But she would make sure he kept to the terms of the agreement. He would not be allowed to break the rules just because his former students would be there. She had already threatened to burn his precious collection if he even tried to take one of those books along tonight. He had cringed but then smirked and told her they'd enjoy one of them when they came home if she had sex on the brain to the degree that she thought he might actually be considering taking one of the books in front of Naruto again. She'd chased him into the bedroom with a sharp kunai threatening to show him a new type of bedroom game those books said nothing about if he didn't shut the hell up. He'd made sure she couldn't get into the room and then called out, "How would you know, Anko-dear, what kind of games those books describe unless you've already read them all too?" From the hallway everything went dead silent for about fifteen seconds before he heard a low growl of pure anger. He gulped but got changed with only a mental note to quit gulping all the time around her and stay in the bedroom until the Anbu appeared to escort them to the party.

Kakashi came into the main room as she opened the door and let the Anbu into the small apartment. He looked very nice, Anko had to admit, all cleaned up in his formal kimono of silver and blue. The women would find him a hard man to ignore tonight but she would see to it he came home alone. Or at least with just her. Together the three left the apartment and went to the second stop on the Anbu's list which was Sasuke's place.

Sasuke was ready and waiting. Well, he was ready and pacing anyway. It frustrated him that he knew where he was going tonight and yet he had no clue how to get there and so was forced to wait for a guide like everyone else. He did look rather dignified in his navy blue kimono with it's red and white trim. Or rather he would have if he wasn't pacing the area like a caged tiger ready to rip someone or something apart.

Maybe it was just the fact the designer of the kimono had felt the need to ruin the dignity of the kimono by making sure everyone was well aware they were looking at the Last Uchiha. The tailor had placed a huge Uchiha fan on the back of the outfit where the standard picture was supposed to be and a smaller one on the upper left side of the breast in the front. Either way, coming or going there was no way anyone would mistake him for someone other than who he was. That kind of crap had always annoyed Sasuke. He simply hadn't thought to find a new tailor in all the years he'd been back and so when this had come up he'd had no choice but to use his old tailor for the kimono. He was regretting it now. He had only begun to realize just how many of his clothes were marked with the fan. In trying to do as Naruto had requested of him, he'd tried to find some clothes that didn't make him stand out. It had really annoyed him to see he only owned clothes with his family crest on them. No wonder everyone thought he had a large ego. The only clothes he had that didn't have his family crest was the outfit he'd worn home from the Sound six years ago. He didn't want to ever wear that again. He had gone out and bought a couple of off-the-rack outfits to wear from the shinobi stores, for keeping an eye on Naruto's friends while they waited, but they didn't do formal stuff even if he had known this was coming up so soon.

The Anbu knocked on the door and Sasuke came out before he had finished knocking. His movements were smooth but impatience, and frustration, lay behind every muscle movement. The Anbu led him back to where Anko and Kakashi were waiting and he started to speak to his mentor but Anko cut him off.

"Don't even think of it. He isn't off restriction yet. Not until Hokage-sama says so," she warned him and he simply nodded instead. Kakashi quirked his brow at Anko as if to ask permission to return the nod. She grudgingly gave it and he smirked as he inclined his head towards Sasuke. This caused Sasuke to smirk as well as the Anbu led them out of the village and towards Naruto's place. He'd never really been all that bothered that Kakashi had gotten in trouble over what he'd done to Naruto. In his eyes, the man deserved it. He may have been a good teacher at one time to Sasuke but even Sasuke would never say he had been anything of the kind to Naruto or even to Sakura. But it didn't surprise him to notice Kakashi seemed to have gotten around Anko's bad attitude well enough. And somehow he had a feeling Anko was helping him complete the jobs on his punishment list whether she had intended to or not. It was just one of the things about Kakashi. The man had a way of making people do things for him usually without them even realizing they were.

Along the way they met up with other Anbu bringing guests and Sasuke recognized Sakura and the old lady she'd been spending time with lately as well as Kurenai and Asuma, Gai and his team and several others. No one spoke, as they bounced from branch to branch over the Ninja Highway, though everyone exchanged nods of recognition as they came into contact with each other. Sakura was concentrating on helping the old lady, since she wasn't a ninja, to navigate the hops and Sasuke didn't want to disrupt her so he simply moved along beside them on the other side in case she needed help. For once, he was actually trying to do something openly to help someone else with no thought to the benefit to himself. But in his mind this was for Naruto and he would do whatever Naruto needed him to do with little to no question about it because he knew Naruto would do the same for him. It all came down to the fact he saw Naruto as his family and if Naruto needed him to do soemthing than he needed to do it because that's what family did.

They arrived with no problems and were welcomed inside the estate by Naruto. The Anbu that had escorted them all to the estate dropped away from the line of guests and took up their positions in the trees and shrubs around the house. Kiba was loud in his dress and manner as was Lee but both the young men were excited as neither had yet gotten a chance to see Naruto since his return. Everyone, in the line waiting to be greeted, saw Naruto wince but quickly cover the action with a wide smile.

"Come on in, everyone. Welcome to my home. I hope you'll enjoy yourselves tonight. I've tried to make the party as festive as I could while still making it a comfortable experience for everyone." He greeted each person by name and shook hands with every male while giving every female a soft kiss on the cheek. It took half an hour just to get everyone inside the front door but once inside they split off to find those they were most comfortable with. He received low bows of greeting from everyone who was older than he was and this surprised him. But he said nothing about it as he passed them on down the greeting line though he was becoming very curious over it. Even Kakashi bowed when he saw him in the red and yellow fire patterned kimono. His eye had gone wide and he had flushed and then paled rapidly as he took in the image of Naruto standing there. Then he had shook his head as if clearing his mind before he had bowed so low he almost hit his head on his own knees. Naruto had simply blinked and helped him straighten up again, whispering, "Don't do that again. I won't put up with it from you again." Kakashi gave him a bleak nod of the head to indicate his understanding though he misinterpretted what Naruto meant by his words.

Kiba's sister, Hana, had come with him at their Mother's insistence and she was vainly trying to keep her loudmouth brother under control much to the amusement of everyone else. She had seen right away that Naruto wasn't the same loudmouth that he used to be and she feared the way Kiba was acting was going to upset him. But Hana was older and a lot more observant than Kiba was. In the manner of the Inuzuka Clan Kiba would not settle down and gain really observation skills until he had a mate. He would remain more of a puppy than a grown-up until he had a female to calm his wild urges. So until he found a female the women of the clan watched over him. Tsume had met Naruto once already when Kiba had been becoming a pain over not seeing Naruto and she'd understood after only five minutes of conversation that the young man was vastly changed from the Naruto Kiba knew. Now Hana understood why her Mother had insisted she accompany Kiba to this affair.

Hinata was receiving compliment after compliment from everyone who saw her. She looked gorgeous in her formal kimono. The blue-violet set off the tint in her hair while the lilac sash picked up the faint color of her eyes. Both added a soft hint of color to her face and made her look even more beautiful than normal.

Moegi stood with Udon and Konohamaru. She was nervous and uncomfortable in the fancy clothes. Konohamaru was doing his best to put her at ease as was Udon but the poor girl was so afraid of ruining the pretty dress she could hardly move. Hanabi came over, as soon as all the guests had been welcomed inside, and told the boys to go away. Then she led Moegi to a chair and just sat beside her, talking and distracting her friend until the girl relaxed. In a few minutes, she and Moegi were laughing together at Kiba's antics to escape his sister's watchful eye. Hana would let Kiba get just so far before she would yank his leash and reign him back in again. He'd wait a few minutes and then try to escape again.

Naruto circulated and made sure to speak to everyone at least once before a Hyuuga servant came in to announce the meal was served. Then he offered his arm to Shizune which surprised everyone but this had been worked out earlier. He knew how Jiraiya felt about Tsunade and he was determined that the old hermit would be seen as her escort that evening. So he had informed Jiraiya that he was to take Tsunade Baa-chan into dinner and escort her for the evening. Jiraiya protested but Naruto wouldn't hear a word he said. And so now he saw Shizune to her seat and watched as everyone brought their dinner partner to a seat before seating himself.

The dinner was started off cordially enough until Sakura saw the ramen. "You got to be kidding me," she exclaimed, not realizing she might be offending anyone. She couldn't help but let the old Sakura out since she was nervous and uncomfortable because she was nervous. She might have told Naruto often while they were younger that she had better breeding and manners than he did but she'd never once been to a formal dinner party and it made her nervous to see him so clearly comfortable in this setting when she knew he hadn't ever been to something like this either. Let alone played the host of such an affair.

"Is there a problem, Sakura?" asked Naruto. In truth he knew exactly what the problem was but as the host it was his job to put his guests at their ease. Several people around the table were shifting uncomfortably wondering if Sakura was going to ruin the evening for them or if she'd get control and reign in her shrewishness. Others were looking like they wanted to throttle her.

Ignoring the look of reproach, she was getting from Mrs. Tsu, she looked straight at him. "Ramen, Naruto? At a formal meal?" She tried to keep the scorn from her voice as she chastised him over it. "Ramen is not for formal meals, Naruto."

"Why ever not when one of our guests is known for his cuisine in all the five great nations? Even in the Cloud Nation they've heard of Ichiraku's Ramen Stand. He is a world renown chef, Sakura, and as such his food is served at formal dinners whenever the host of said dinner wishes it to be. Half the times his stand is closed is because he is serving a Daimyo that evening."

"I will admit it is the best ramen but ramen isn't a formal food. Didn't anyone ever teach you formality?" Several hisses were heard and more than a few people growled at the tactless comment. Killing intent was rising from the ninja gathered at the table and the civilians were looking down at their bowls in shame to have to share their meal with such a rude uncultured girl.

But though Naruto's eyes flashed in anger, he kept his voice even as he said, "There is no such thing as a formal food verses an informal one. You are as rude as ever, Sakura. I am sorry I thought you well mannered enough to be invited tonight. If you can not mind the manners that you insist I do not have I will have the Anbu that escorted you here, escort you home again now. Not only have you insulted me you have insulted two of my guests and that is out of line. Even for you."

Only then did Sakura realize how everyone was looking at her and how her words had sounded to Teuchi and Ayame. She gasped and her hands flew to her face. "Oh, I am so sorry. I didn't mean it that way. I just thought he'd put it on the menu because he likes it so much and I could just see it flying all over the table as he eats it." She pushed back her chair and fled the table. No one bothered to point out Naruto had never made a mess when he ate his ramen.

After she left the room Naruto leaned towards Hinata who was seated two places down on his left and asked her to please go after Sakura. He didn't want the pink-haired girl to leave yet but he wouldn't put up with rudeness from her either. Hinata nodded and excused herself.

"I have tried to make this evening pleasant for everyone but as I just demonstrated, if something is not to your liking, please have the decency to either mention it in private or keep it to yourself, as it may be to someone else's liking. You are all my friends or the family of my friends and we should all be able to get along for one evening." He grinned and as he saw Hinata coming back in with a chastened looking Sakura said, "Now let's eat. Teuchi what kind of Ramen did you make for me tonight?"

"Miso, my Lord. And for Sakura, I made a pot of that vegetable shrimp she likes," Teuchi's voice was quiet as he spoke those words but they carried around the room making Sakura want to disappear through the floor when she realized he had cooked a special pot just for her.

Instead she held her chin up and said clearly, "Thank you Teuchi. I will be happy to have your ramen tonight and consider it a treat. I sincerely apologize for my ill-thought comments earlier. Clearly I still have a long way to go before I am once again ready to enter society without a minder." She turned to Naruto and bowed low keeping her head lowered as she said, "Naruto, I apologize. I was out of line to you as well as to the guests you have invited to your home. It is not and never was my place to tell you what is from what is not correct for anything." Then she turned to Mrs. Tsu and apologized to her as well. With tears in her eyes she murmured, "Clearly I haven't quite learned everything you tried to teach me yet. I am sorry I have embarrassed and shamed you with my rudeness."

"No offense taken," answered Teuchi as Ayame smiled at Sakura. Naruto beamed at her and forgave her with a nod of his golden head as was proper for a host at such a formal occasion. Mrs. Tsu just smiled gently and reached over to pat Sakura's trembling hand. They began to eat and conversation swirled around the table. Except for a loud occasional comment from either Lee, Kiba or Gai the tone of the evening was quiet but happy as everyone enjoyed the food. Chouji beamed as people said how good his family's food was and stored away the most fulsome of the compliments to tell the cooks later that evening.

The ramen was cleared away to make room for the main courses. Plates of food, chosen earlier when each person was given their personal invitation to the dinner party, were set in front of the diners. Most had chosen the bar-b-qued boneless ribs with potato salad and asparagus spears in a creamy white sauce but some had bar-b-qued burgers with deep fried breaded vegetables and brown rice.

Neji kept a close eye on his girls. Tenten found his eye often on her as she daintily tried to find a delicate way to eat bar-b-qued ribs still on the bone. Hinata and Hanabi had both selected the bone free ones and weren't having the same problem with them as she was but both noticed her difficulty and knowing Neji cared for her they pretended to have issues with their course choice as well so as not to leave her hanging. Tenten cursed herself for not thinking her selection through but when she'd been handed the menu she hadn't thought about what she would be wearing as she ate and had just circled a choice. She finally gave it up and left the ribs on her plate with a sad look. The waiter came and whispered in her ear for a second and she beamed at him. He took her plate and came back in a few moments with a selection of the boneless variety. She quickly made short work of them, smiling all the while as Hinata and Hanabi both polished off their dinners as well. Naruto nodded at seeing the interchange between the server and the efforts of the Hyuuga girls to include Tenten in their circle.

Dessert was a caramel flan served over a bed of crumbed sugar cookies and icing coated peanuts rolled in powered sugar. For those who didn't wish for something sweet they had colored rice cakes, though most had chosen the flan. It was a foreign dish and too rare of a treat not to at least try it. And of course there was coffee or tea for those who wished it.

After the dessert, they left the table and went into separate rooms to digest their meal while the servants cleared the room for the entertainment. The men sat in the library with cordials while the ladies gathered in the livingroom with small cocktails. Tsunade wasn't very happy about that as it wasn't the sake she preferred but she saw what Naruto had wanted and so nursed the small drink along and waited to be called back to the larger room. Small conversations flowered among the gatherings in both rooms and the main topic was the kimono Naruto had worn for the evening.

Tsunade smiled as she admitted he probably had no idea of the significance of the kimono he wore but she thought it was the most appropriate considering what he had intended the evening to be. This was the Namikaze Estate and he was the heir to that Estate. The kimono pointed out in an unmistakable way to everyone who had known the Yondaime exactly who Naruto was and why he was living here. In the kimono of his late Father, his heritage could not be denied by any who saw him. Sakura was growing even more pale as each minute went by and she realized just who she had spent so many years abusing and bashing for being a nobody. She grew more and more depressed as the conversations went on around her until Ino whispered in her ear, "You know, it really isn't that big a deal, Forehead. As Hokage-sama just said, he doesn't even know who's son he is so I doubt he took your insults in any way other than how you meant them."

"But that's just it, Ino. I constantly told him I was better than he is because I was higher born than he is and I'm not. I'm nowhere close to being higher born. He outranks everyone here except maybe Hokage-sama."

Ino just lifted an eyebrow. "And do you think he'd care even if he did know it? That isn't Naruto, Forehead Girl, and you know it isn't. He doesn't care a whit about a persons birth rank. A person doesn't have a choice over who brings them into this world. It's what they do once they get here that matters to him. Our ranks was only ever important to you. Well, maybe to Sasuke as well but mainly to you."

Sakura sat there thinking about it and realized she was right. It had always been Sakura who was dismissive of people she considered too low born to associate with. None of the other girls had ever done that. They had included Tenten in their circle when she would have shut her out. Same with Temari and Temari had outranked Sakura even if she was from a different village.

Jiraiya was saying much the same thing to the gentlemen in the library while Naruto had a hard time holding his jaws closed. Kakashi was watching the expressions on Naruto's face as Jiraiya spilled the beans on the kimono. He was still thinking about what Naruto had said to him when he had bowed at the receiving line. He had thought Naruto was saying it because he knew who's son he was and didn't think Minato-Sensei would appreciate him bowing and showing respect to the kid he had tried to get killed off more than once but maybe it was something else.

Naruto was just thinking, so that was why Baa-chan had insisted he wear this one. He'd have to pay her back for all this bowing he was being subjected to tonight, he thought, as his expression turned crafty. What should he do? It'd have to be something she'd never expect and something that fit the deed but what? Hmmmm. Some of his friends saw his expression and wondered just who would be his victim this time. That expression was one they all knew all too well. And none of them doubted for a second someone was going to get pranked. Jiraiya just hoped it wasn't him.

Kiba came over to him and asked, "Are we gonna play Spin the Bottle tonight? It just wouldn't be one of our get-togethers without that game, don't you think?"

Naruto smirked and then grinned as he thought about the faces of the older generation if he tried to get them to play that game. Laughing, he shook his head. "I don't think we could get Hiashi to unbend that far, do you?"

Kiba scratched his head and said, "Well, no probably not but you never know."

Sasuke had sauntered close and just frowned at the irrepressible Inuzuka. "It would be most inappropriate for tonight's gathering. This is not your typical little slumber party excuse for getting wasted and winding up where you don't belong."

"Easy Sasuke," said Naruto. "He didn't mean anything by it and was not trying to offend."

"Hell no," said Kiba. "I just thought it'd be nice to do something a little more active than standing around."

"We will be doing something else in a little bit but I can't promise it will be energetic enough for you, Kiba. For now we are just giving the servants time to clean up after dinner and then we will go back into the ballroom for the entertainment part of the party. Be patient." Naruto wandered off to talk with his other guests and left Kiba pouting next to Sasuke who determined to keep the loudmouth occupied as he tried to keep Lee out of the cordial. He had already headed the energetic Drunken Master off four times so now he roped Kiba into the task. Kiba forgot about the Spin the Bottle game as he concentrated on keeping Lee sober. He didn't want Naruto to have to go looking for a new home again and just one drop was all it would take for Lee to become a wrecking ball for this place. Sasuke turned out to have had the right idea in siccing Kiba onto Lee's tail as it gave everyone else a chance to relax and talk amongst themselves.

Gai was finding out from Kakashi just where he'd been in recent weeks as well as what he'd been doing. Kakashi was squirming as he let the information dribble out hoping not to have to actually spill everything. He might have finally come to realize just how deeply he had screwed up but that didn't mean he wanted to go losing even more of the respect he had held before Naruto's return. Gai had always respected Kakashi and his squirming now was because, if he had to tell the man what he had done to Naruto, he knew he wouldn't any more. But Gai was also one of the only people Kakashi actually did consider a friend of his.

He didn't know Gai already knew what Kakashi had done to Naruto. He had known it all along. He had tried more than once to point it out to Kakashi when the boy had still been in the village but Kakashi was lost in his rage then and wouldn't see it. And Gai knew it had been rage that had fogged his friends thinking ability. So Gai had stood by his friend and waited for him to wake up and shake the cobwebs out. Now he just wanted to talk to Kakashi. He had missed him these last few weeks and months but he had also understood what Tsunade had been doing. So, as much as it went against the grain for him, he had left Kakashi alone in his punishment, knowing Kakashi would work through it and come out the better for it.

As he drug the story out of Kakashi, he let the silver-haired man know he had known the truth all a long and didn't think anything less of him than he had before. He had been Kakashi's friend before Naruto had become a genin. He had been his friend while Naruto was his genin. He had been his friend when Naruto was missing and presumed dead and he was his friend now. "Until the day you die and I follow you to my grave, I will be your friend, Rival Kakashi," he said quietly as Kakashi finished relating the events. No one else heard him for a change but Naruto turned his head and smiled when he finished speaking.

Kakashi was sitting there staring at Gai in shock. It was clear he had not expected to keep his old friend once the man knew he had no honor. "What did I ever do to deserve a friend like you, Gai?" he asked quietly.

"I'll admit you went through a long dark period there my friend. But you were not yourself and a true frined will always know that and be waiting when you come into the light again." Gai beamed at him and Kakashi relaxed, smiling in return.

**Author Note: Ok this was a much longer chapter than the last one and maybe I could have combined the two. Probably I should have but I didn't. Either way I gave you two new chapters today so enjoy them please. I know not a lot happens in either one but don't worry the action is coming. I just need to set the stage for it.**


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